Monster in the Franxx
by Bjorntheilliterate
Summary: You might think this was a story about love, but you would be wrong. You may come to believe it to be a story of war, but you are wrong. You may think it a tale of adventure and action, but you would be wrong once again. Instead, this is a tale of family, loyalty, and what it means to be human.
1. Chapter 1: Awakening

Updated to Chapter 1.3. Contains multiple spelling and grammatical corrections.

Takes place in the beginning of Episode 15. The sixth united company has successfully deployed and engaged the Klaxosaurs. After meeting the 9's leader in the field a new threat arises.…

* * *

 **Chp.** **1**

 **Awakening**

Ichigo pivoted and threw her arm out, the blade an extension of her will as it slashed cleanly through a small, Conrad-class Klaxosaur. The drone guttered and died in an explosion of blood, coating her Franxx in that deep abyssal-blue. She could feel its repulsive vital fluid against the Franxx's pristine metal skin as if it were her own flesh, so deep was the connection between pilot and machine.

She had experienced such 'discomforts' before as she had slain many of the damnable beasts in her relatively short career. They all had. Squad 13 had seen enough combat action within the past few months to easily classify them as veterans. But, they had never experienced anything like this. No, nothing she had ever done could have prepared her for the chaos she found herself in now. She and the rest of her squad may have honed their skills in skirmishes before, but that's all they ever were. Mere dress rehearsals for the finale that had yet to come. And now it was here. Now they were heavily outnumbered like never before, Klaxosaurs filling the horizon, an endless tide of screeching monsters that bayed for their blood. And Strelizia was not with them. Well, technically speaking the Franxx was in the area. But, without Hiro to guide her, she could not be relied upon to provide assistance.

Multitudes of Klaxosaur variants swarmed about them, ranging in both size and design. From the smaller Conrad-class drones that crawled along the ground, throwing themselves at the Franxx in suicidal charges, to the towers of bio-mechanical weapon systems that hurled effervescent blasts of energy at them from gaping maws. They were thoroughly in the thick of the fighting; Delphinium leading the center charge, despite their belated deployment. They fought alongside the squad of Nines, as well as along the mass-produced, spear-wielding Franxx units that bore slate gray heraldry.

"Ichigo, we got incoming!" And there was Goro, yelling from within her own head as a stream of energy bolts hurtled towards her. "I see them!" She replied as they quickly maneuvered out of the way, the two pilots working in near-perfect harmony with each other. Talking was rather pointless since they were subconsciously connected, but it did help to focus both of their actions. She slashed through another drone as she weaved from side-to-side, dodging the Klaxo's powerful, but rather clumsy, attacks.

She felt more than heard 9A as he rocketed past her from the rear. His spear swept out in a brilliant arc and three Klaxosaurs were ripped apart, and still he powered onwards. Ichigo could guess his destination purely from the way he moved. The towering Moho-class that had fired upon her was clearly within his sights. She powered her thrusters and followed swiftly behind him as the rest of Squad 13 fell in behind her- more or less. Argentea led a parallel attack three and a half kilometers away, running at full sprint in front of Squads 26, 30 and 97.

There goes our squad cohesion, lamented Ichigo as a cannon blast, courtesy of the black-armored Genista, hurtled past her and opened the way before her in a magma-fueled explosion. Klaxosaurs were torn apart by the fury of the blast and she poured into the now open space, her twinned-blades thrust forward impaling a drone and coating her arms further in gore. The shock of the impaling strike traveled up her arms. War was new to her, killing was not. She took comfort in the fact that this battle was just like any other, just on a far larger scale.

Despite all the chaos and death that played out around her, Ichigo found her thoughts drifting back to Hiro. She knew he was safe aboard Plantation 13, but for how long would that last, she wondered. She ached to be near him again. He was so heartbroken about 02, but that was okay. After this battle, after the death and destruction, after the horror had all played out and Papa was satisfied with their performance she would go to him and hold him in her arms. It would be alright, she told herself. As long as she could get to Hiro it would all be fine.

9A engaged the Klaxosaur, barrel rolling in mid-air to the side, narrowly avoiding a blast fired from the creature's gaping maw. The engagement was obscured behind the dust and smoke stirred by the detonation of the energy bolt, only flashes of orange glancing through the heavy cover. By the time the smoke dissipated, the Klaxosaur was nothing more than a lacerated corpse. 9A stood triumphant over the beast, spear humming with latent power as the Klaxosaur's blood boiled off of it in rising puffs of steam. The Franxx casually peered over its shoulder as 9A spoke, his smug voice clear across the comm channel allocated to Squad 13.

"Come on now, my dear! I understand you're only human, but at least try to keep up! This isn't one of those pretty ceremonies your squad partakes in, this is a _real_ war!" Ichigo could imagine his face, that smug smile playing across it. _Ugh_. It made her want to punch him, but she settled for slashing her blades through another Klaxosaur. Oh yeah, that definitely made it feel better.

"What a jerk." Goro said, making sure he didn't accidentally leave the comm channel open. She fully agreed with his assessment of the Nine's leader, but she had to admit- begrudgingly- that 9A was a damn fine pilot as well. In fact, he made it all look so effortless, slaughtering the Klaxosaurs with casual impunity. His solo kill count rivaled the combined kill counts of Squad 13 as a whole. None of that changed his status as an asshole though.

With a persistent hatred of the Nine burning in her gut, she willed Delphinium to follow the Nine's leader, punching deeper into the swarm of ever-increasing Klaxosaurs.

* * *

Hiro stood still, watching as his teammates and fellow parasites fought tooth and nail against a numberless and merciless foe. His fists clenched tightly as his anger simmered. He was utterly powerless to help them, but his mind was unfocused and wondered little to any actual strategic information.

His thoughts were entirely focused upon _her._

One of the many view screens displayed _her_ in all her savage beauty as she tore through multitudes of Klaxosaurs, unstoppable and undaunted by their numbers, her jaws rending 'flesh' as easily as her spear-tipped tail did. She was alone, just like him. Like he had always been. Like she always _was_. They were burdened by that loneliness. It weighed them both down so heavily that neither could ever truly fly without the other's strength. But, for a brief time, he had flown with her, and they had flown so high! The world had been within their grasp! Freedom had been within reach, freedom from all the fighting, all the orders, all the tests, all the _stagnation_ that dragged them down to earth. They had been free, and they had been free _together_.

Until they had crashed.

Now he longed to go to her. To tell her he was sorry for his actions. To forgive her for her's. She had just been afraid to lose him. And when people were afraid they made foolish mistakes, he saw that now. He had been her world for so long without ever knowing it. He longed to speak to her, if only for one last time. To show her she was his world, and always had been. His anger was with his poor choice of words and lack of action.

He started in surprise as a shrill alarm pierced the relative calm of the control center and scattered his thoughts.

Dr. Franxx appeared at his side, ghosting from across the room like an apparition. "What's this now?" The good doctor idly tapped his chin with his hand, studying the new information. "A new development indeed." He nodded, as if this was entirely expected. He mused as his eyes continued their scan. Information about the event streamed in, fresh from the battlefield monitoring drones that flew safely above the chaos. His expression changed from intrigued to grim realization."That signature… it's somehow familiar. It almost looks like… but no, it couldn't be." He stared intently at the screen as he pondered the possibilities. It wasn't just a large concentration of magma energy, it was totally unique in its signature. In fact, it was probably about the average energy signature of a Franxx unit, but with a few noticeable _differences._ Those differences though were the main cause for his concern. The contact disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. _Just like all those years ago._ The coincidence chilled him to his weary bones.

"Doctor? What's wrong?" Hiro inquired, confused by the doctor's abnormal behavior and idle mutterings. He had never seen the doctor so… flustered.

Dr. Franxx didn't immediately turn his attention to the boy, instead muttering something unintelligible beneath his breath. To Hiro it almost sounded like a name. He looked up suddenly, his face- or at least, what was still recognizable as biological- became animated as he spoke quickly. "It's nothing my boy, I just have something to do now. Something I should have done a long time ago…" He added cryptically.

Hiro didn't have time to ask the doctor to elaborate, the old man turning from him and disappearing into the communications room opposite from where he stood. He was left to ponder upon the doctor's strange behavior, but eventually his attention returned to the displays of the battle before him and to resume his distant observation of his beloved Zero Tsu.

* * *

Dr. Franxx entered the central communications room. Within the crowded room of equipment, technicians, communications officers, logicians, strategists and other such essential personal busied themselves with their allotted tasks and assignments. Some coordinated _Cerasus'_ defense- a pointless and rather pointless task- but the majority ensured that Squad 13's personal communications network was maintained. Here was the nervous system for the battle, one of many nodes within the extended system that connected each plantation in a wide network. For one to go down would spell an interruption of service and the loss of communication as the network took precious time to compensate for the loss. Which is why what he was about to do was very dangerous, and could possibly be the cause of death for several Franxx units. Hopefully Squad 13 would be resourceful enough to adapt.

He cleared his throat loudly, in an attempt to gain everyone's attention. A few personal near him glanced his way, but the vast majority safely ignored him. Hachi himself took notice and nodded respectfully in his direction before returning to a conversation. _Oh these damn youngsters_ , he thought scornfully. When will they learn?

He reached up, fingers searching just behind his ear for a small dial, built into his augmetic, lower skull. _There it was_. He spun the dial to its maximum setting. Then he spoke once more.

" **EVERYONE GET THE HELL OUT! I NEED TO MAKE A CALL.** "

His voice boomed from his mechanical mouth, the volume reaching an insane level. Several of the room's occupants nearest to him winced, covering their ears in pain. If he had still possessed biological eardrums they would have come close to rupturing. It worked though. Everyone began to file out, cowed by the sonic weaponry he had at his disposal. Some even refused initially, choosing to remain at their stations. Hachi was helpful in escorting them from the room, until at last only he and the doctor remained. Without a word he left as well, wise enough to know that the doctor required absolute privacy.

Finally alone, Dr. Franxx entered his personal authorization code into the main communications console: priority red. His call could not be denied by the recipient.

Upon the visual interface a masked human appeared. The highly ornamental mask was shining gold, trimmed in the blood of man. White robes, harking back to the archaic days of religious fanaticism, covered the man's impressively well-built frame completely.

"Werner, old friend." The masked figure said softly. "Why do you contact me at this time? I was under the impression that you were enjoying the show. Front row seat and all that."

"We may have a problem. Or an opportunity..."

* * *

Darkness. It consumed me utterly. Invaded my very being. Protected and nurtured my conscience as I lay within, unaware of all existence. As ever, silence accompanied its old friend with utter loyalty. I did not exist as one normally would, nor did I register such a fact. I would not have cared anyways. I was simply an object, a tool, waiting for my master's call.

 _Hear me children, and listen well_

The all-encompassing darkness came to an end as her voice drifted to me, lancing through the darkness in a blinding ray of light. Neurons that had slept for decades suddenly reawakened and consciousness returned to my mind at a staggering, jolted pace. I felt a presence at my side, both part of me and yet separate. I had never known this part of me before, and yet we knew each other well for our fates were now tied together. Her message came to mind, though it did not speak in the language of my birth.

 _Daughter of pain, and product of hate_

 _You are bound together, tied to a fate_

We awakened from our slumber, our limbs uncurling as bio-mechanical muscles stretched for the first time in an age. Heat flowed through our limbs, like warm water across skin. The call urged me onwards- ever onwards- to the familiar sounds of battle above. The rush of killing and slaughter called to us, but first we needed to avail ourselves of our post-slumber grogginess. We were weak in our current state, and that would never do.

 _United you shall stand, but divided fall_

 _Death to them, but salvation for us all_

I stood on our legs as we searched for a meal- _anything_ to satiate this gnawing emptiness. A drone crawled past and we pounced, rows of diamond-hard fangs sinking into the flesh, tearing large chunks out of it. It squealed in what I interpreted as pain. We tore deeper until the core was grasped firmly within our jaws. Fangs sank deep, and we were rewarded with a surge of energy that ripped through our tired limbs. We howled our elation at this renewal as the empty core dropped from our jaws, now cold, dark and utterly lifeless. The howl bounded out of whatever passed for our vocal cords and resounded through the depths of our cavern, echoing deep into the tunnels beneath the shattered world.

More drones were near us, but they quickly moved away as we stood to our full height. So, we were bipedal. Of course we were. Why would that matter? I stood still as I thought trying, and failing, to remember who, or even what, I was. The other sensed my hesitation and willed us forward. Before I realized it, we were walking in an awkward forward-sloping hunch as we moved towards the distant sounds above. Drones quickly scurried out of our path, frightened by our earlier fratricide. Did I share ancestry with these things? I do, said the other.

 _Lead our kin, in this righteous war_

 _Death shall come, like the time before_

The opening salvos had been fired and we were late. But, we wouldn't be left behind. We had to kill the foreign invaders. _Who_? Who seeks our destruction? The enemy, of course. Who is our enemy? Images of uniformed men shouting and running flashed before our eyes. Humans then. Humans were always the enemy. Yes, of course. How could I forget? I had a duty to protect… protect… home. We were guardians. Yes, that was it. The humans, with their weapons of war and disregard for the Earth. They were a blight to be purged. Insects that would be shattered beneath our heavy tread. We were the guardians of this rich world and we would have vengeance for its pain.

I didn't notice when we had dropped to all fours, adopting a bestial stride. Our claws tore into the earth as we hurtled down passages with wild fury. Drones and larger classes of our brethren moved from our path, cautious of our unbound savagery. Even those larger than us could sense our malice. It was a cruel world where only the strongest could survive, and we were the definitely the strongest.

Minutes passed in a blur of sprinting down caverns and shafts. Our limbs did not experience fatigue despite the passage of time and we were free to run. We were eager to join the slaughter that echoed down through the tunnels filtering from the surface. But who was being slaughtered? The sounds were not promising to our ears. We passed through a large chamber and several of our brethren awaited us.

They were unique in form, like us. They traveled on all fours, clawed feet tearing into the tunnel's floor. Heads hung low to the ground, jaws brimming with razor-sharp fangs. Eyes glinted with malice and an insatiable hunger.

They snarled at our approach, weary of our jaws still dripping with the lifeblood of our shared kin. We snarled in reply and they lowered their heads in obedience to us. As it should be. They were strong, but we were the stronger.

We howled in unfettered rage as we sped past them, the cry tearing loose from our maw. They followed us, as their own voices were raised in anger, eager to deal death to those who dared to tread upon our sacred grounds and spill our lesser kin's lifeblood.

We emerged onto the surface and sights long forgotten- by me at least- assaulted our eyes. No matter the time nor place a battlefield looks and smells similar. Our enhanced eyes, better than our kin's own, scanned the area, searching for anything that did not share our allegiance. Eyes narrowed as we spotted them. We sped off, the howling pack in tow.

 _Seek the key, and embrace clarity_

 _Find the path, your reward: Purity_

* * *

Code 090, leader of Squad 26, cringed as he braced his spear against the Klaxosaur's assault. Its hideous maw gripped his weapon tightly and pushed him back several dozen meters. He gritted his teeth and activated his rear thruster pair pushing the monster back into its fellows. He struck out with his spear, tearing through the bastard's core, and was rewarded with an explosion of dark blue blood. His second-in-command appeared at his side and struck with their weapon as well, ensuring that the other Klaxosaurs couldn't exploit the opening. "Thanks," he sent through his mic to his fellow parasite team. He received a nod of recognition from the Franxx unit before they turned into the melee, spear stabbing into more of the monstrous foes.

He pulled back from the front-line to take stock of the situation. His squad was formed around him creating a loose, but efficient, perimeter. Several more squads shared his immediate theater of battle. Their immediate left and right flanks were secured by squads 30 and 97, respectively. And, of course, the two members of Squad 13. The heavily customized Franxx units Argentea and Chlorophytum were with them, although they didn't stay fixated in a single area. They were very unconventional with their tactics in the fight, killing several Klaxosaurs here and then jetting to apply pressure somewhere else. He silently thanked them for their unpredictable, but undeniably effective, assistance.

A bestial roar ripped across the battle-space, tearing straight through any other sound. It was powerful and savage, unlike anything he had ever heard before. It pierced his cockpit and he felt the vibrations within his very bones. _What in the actual hell was that?_ He looked around the area, seeking the source of the disturbance. His partner chimed in. "What was that?" Her voice shook as she spoke, though from fear or an adrenaline rush he could not say. He was experiencing the rush of combat as well, but he had to keep a level head, he was a leader after all and a calm, level-headed decision had to be reached. That's when he finally saw the source of the cry.

It was rather underwhelming to look at, if he were being honest. It had come from the throat of a quadrupedal Klaxosaur that squatted near the entrance to eh Crevasse itself. Though it was a Klaxosaur for sure, there was nothing unique about it other than that terrible howl. Probably just an abnormal Moho-class, and that was being generous. He smiled at his weariness, inflamed as it was by the stress of battle.

The Klaxosaur's eyes fixated upon him. Crimson eyes were ablaze like braziers of freshly spilled blood, the creature's eyes contrasting heavily with the azure plates of armor that encased its dark flesh. Unusual for a Klaxosaur. Average Klaxosaurs were black armored with bright, blue internals and joints. It led a pack of lesser versions, each similar to the alpha aside from a few minor physical differences, size being the most apparent.

The alpha's eyes bored into his own, as if it knew him. As if it understood his role. Such a thing was surely impossible though. The Klaxosaurs were just mindless beasts, nothing more. It was just his mind becoming overtaxed by the rigors of prolonged combat.

With another soul-scathing howl it sped in his direction, the pack swiftly following in its footsteps. It moved faster than he had anticipated, bounding quickly across the battlefield. It crossed the gap between them in seconds, leaping the last few hundred meters. "Look out!" He cried to his second, still standing and holding the line of chaos back. The alpha hurtled through the air like a missile until it impacted with the second of his squad in a sickening crunch, audible even over the cacophony of battle. Massive jaws clamped tightly shut around the cockpit, fangs piercing nanomagnesium armor with ease.

He launched himself forward. His spear poised to strike. His heart dropped in that moment.

A sharp cry of pain, laced with fear, resounded from the open comm channel. A wellspring of orange fluid gushed from the shattered cockpit, running like blood through the creature's jaws. His cockpit was filled with that horrendous, dual scream that heralded the death of two parasites. He imagined he could actually hear them being crushed within their cockpit. Bones breaking. Organs popping. A brother and sister to him, gone from his life. Individuals who he had shared so much with. Broke bread with. Trained alongside with. Laughed and cried with. _Gone_. In an instant. Shattered and lost within the jaws of an inhuman enemy.

He yelled incoherently, in sync with his partner, and they raised their spear aiming for the kill. But the monster was faster. Far too fast. It leapt backwards and his spear missed, impaling the earth uselessly. One of its pack-mates exploited his momentary immobility and leaped upon him. The tactic was eerily similar to the one his team had employed earlier, though now turned against him.

His vision was filled with lesser, but no less deadly, jaws. He fancied he could already hear the metal giving away to the immense force. He had but moments to act. He and his partner acted as one, bringing their Franxx's arm up quickly and slamming the wrist into the creature's throat. He sincerely hoped the thing had a windpipe. He hoped even more that he had crushed it.

The monster was thrown to the side by the attack, jaws tearing free from his view. The creature landed nimbly upon all fours. It began to stalk in a circling motion, patiently awaiting for another opportunity to strike.

He assessed the tactical situation as he moved to meet the beast. His squad was currently engaged with the rest of the pack, each Franxx pairing with a Klaxosaur. They fought tooth and nail against the creatures, human willpower and hot magma pitted against monstrous strength and savage ferocity.

The contrast between their two species only reinforced the nobility of their cause. He felt new resolve flood his mind. Strength returned to exhausted limbs. His squad would not fall here. His family would continue to live another day, carried by their strength, unity, and shared purpose. And their purpose was to drive every last one of these _demons_ to an early grave.

* * *

We watched idly as the enemy squad fended off our pack-mates, content for the moment to simply watch. Watch, and _learn_. We prowled upon all four limbs just beyond the skirmish, waiting to exploit an opportunity, should such an event arise.

The earlier kill had brought a savage joy to me, the other finding satisfaction in our shared performance. But, the emotion was fleeting and we ached to find more to feed our insatiable appetite. Yes, we had to kill again. And soon. But, for now, we waited. We had to see if they had a hidden strength. Some unseen tactic. No reason to rush. It wasn't like they could escape us.

The pack fought on. The enemy I had instinctively identified as the leader- from their bearing alone- fought with some skill against our beta. They were all beta to us, and perhaps if they survived I would name them. They had to earn such an honor though.

What was my name? I couldn't remember. Not that it mattered to us. But, didn't it? No. It only mattered that we killed and followed orders. Whose? _Her's_ , replied the other with enthusiasm. Yes, of course.

Our attention returned in time to see the leader pivot with his maneuvering thrusters, an impressive display of skill, and strike out with his orange-bladed spear. It tore easily through beta's flesh and let out a gush of blood. The leader skillfully reversed his grip on the spear and drove it downward and into beta's core with consummate ease. Beta squealed as it died, disintegrating into a torrent of whatever fluid passed as our kindred's blood.

I smiled, though our exterior form did not show it. Perhaps we had found a worthy foe to satisfy our appetite. Eager to join in the battle we prepared our form quickly.

We reared up on our hind legs. Ancient metal ground as the joints readjusted for enhanced, bipedal movement. I felt our chest expand and crack, the broad carapace splitting down the middle. The armor plate flowed like liquid mercury and reformed, some of the residual mass flowing into long spines upon our back while more of it spread into an armored breastplate and matching pauldrons, the redeployment of armor leaving our abdominal section relatively open and vulnerable. But the rearrangement would allow an enhanced freedom of movement and flexibility. Arm joints readjusted and armor plates across our form changed shape to fit our new, more humanoid, form. We stood to our full height and our neck lengthened allowing a greater degree of orientation of the head, although we retained our bestial visage. Small maneuvering thrusters formed around our midsection, enhancing our omnidirectional maneuverability, but remaining carefully concealed and protected beneath what armor plates remained. Our claws split into the standard five digits of mankind, although the similarity ended there. Each digit ended in a wickedly curved, azure-colored talon; easily capable of rending flesh- or whatever passed for flesh among these bio-mechanical titans- or metal with contemptuous ease.

We turned to face the leader just as he turned towards us. He launched himself at us without hesitation, without fear or regard for personal safety. Admirable, but undeniably foolish, I thought. We braced for impact, the talons upon our feet gripping the earth. He flew with an incredible amount of speed. At the last possible instant, we moved. Thrusters upon our left flank fired with tremendous force and we dodged, the spear stabbing past us. We pivoted mid-air by firing yet more thrusters, reorienting our bulk towards him. The spines flared skywards and engaged, a massive boost of forward thrust propelling us ahead. We hurtled forwards, arms outstretched, and slammed into the enemy with bone-jarring force. Our claws encircled his spear, gripping the shaft with our titanic strength.

"You won't be needing this." I laughed in his face. Our shared jaw only let out a bestial cry followed by a low guttural growl born from deep within us. So much for harsh language becoming a viable tactical option. I was only mildly disappointed.

Our muscles flexed and we pried the spear away from him in a sharp jerking movement. The enemy was far too weak to test our strength.

I grinned as the spear was hurtled to the side and we pounced. Our jaws opened wide and clamped shut upon the enemy's shoulder, missing the neck as they tried to dodge. _A_ _miss_! It was aggravating, to say the least, but the other reassured us. There would be more opportunities to perfect our skills. Our clawed hands gripped the enemy's right shoulder and left hip, keeping them standing as we bit deeply into the shoulder. It almost looked like a passionate embrace of lovers, reuniting after an excruciatingly long time apart.

The screaming told an entirely different story.

* * *

His head slammed back against the seat almost causing him to black out from the pain. The entire Franxx unit rocked beneath him, shaking from the creature's assault. The Klaxosaur had torn his weapon away from his hands with horrifying ease. Of course what had come before had been even stranger.

The Klaxosaur had changed before his very eyes. He was used to seeing them reform and combine, but not like this. It hadn't simply changed shape. It had undergone a complete transformation from a beast-like form and into a fully humanoid form in an instant. A horrible thought wormed into his mind. The thing resembled a Franxx more than it did a Klaxosaur. As if it had evolved. But, surely that was impossible? They were just mindless creatures, nothing more. Right?

He shook his head to clear his thoughts, as well as to keep from blacking out. He could hear it roar at him. At least that hadn't changed.

It surprised him by lunging forward. He yanked hard on the controls, in a vain hope of putting distance between them and it. It didn't work.

His partner howled in pain as the Klaxosaur's jaws clamped like a vice on their shoulder area. His partner writhed as the neural feedback assaulted her mind. Her shattered voice almost brought him to tears, so imbued with pain as it was. She held on with admirable strength, defying the suffering through sheer force of will. She knew if she retreated from the pain then her connection to the Franxx would be severed and they would be utterly defenseless before the creature. She would undoubtedly have nerve damage within her shoulder after this battle either way.

Code 090 made a silent vow that nerve damage would be her only concern after today. He wouldn't let her die.

"Hang in there!" He yelled encouragingly to her as he brought up a link with Argentea. Code 666's face appeared off to his right, the general current direction of Argentea herself.

"What do you want? Kinda busy here man!" Code 666 exclaimed quickly as he saw who had contacted him directly.

"Code 66- Zorome," he corrected himself as he remembered the boy's name. Such an odd squad these parasites. "We need your help. There is a new Klaxosaur here. We can't handle it alone. We need your... specialization." He explained as tactfully and patiently as he could considering the rather dire circumstances.

"You want _our_ help?" Code 666 asked incredulously. He chuckled. The bastard boy actually _chuckled_. "Yeah man, we got you covered."

"Good, I'll prep the kill. You deliver the final blow. Just be swift."

His partner had reached the same conclusion as he had. This beast had to die. _Now_. They worked as one and their Franxx's arms reached up and wrapped around the beast's armored form. Working through the pain of the bite his partner used all of her strength to hold onto the Klaxosaur, holding it to them tightly like long lost lovers.

"Come on, Miku! We gotta save their assess!" The fool had left the channel open. He was willing to forgive them if they saved his partner's life though. He could hear 'Miku's' reply as well. "Right, let's do it!"

* * *

We struggled against the mech's frame, our fangs biting deep into the metal. Soon, very soon, we could tear the arm off and watch it suffer before us, mewling in the dirt as it died. I had always enjoyed flashy finishers, and these things died so beautifully with their orange 'blood'.

As we slowly drained our opponent of life our eyes scanned the ongoing battle. For the most part the pack held its own. One beta became severely wounded from an impaling spear. However, the bastard fought with a commendable tenacity and his jaws ripped the life from his would be killer, an orange spray jutting like arterial blood. If the beta lived he will have earned his name, though the spear protruding from its torso heavily discouraged such a prospect,

Our attention was brought to an unknown and foreign object that had suddenly appeared off to our left. Similar in size to our current enemy it was colored radically different. It moved fast and we couldn't make any more details of it other than its striking, hot pink coloring. It sailed over the combatants, either utilizing a jet propulsion or springs I could not yet tell. Perhaps a combination of both? Either way its heading was obvious as it ignored the drones and headed in our direction.

We tried to pull away as realization dawned that it was coming to help its ally, summoned by some sort of unseen line of communication. We found that we could not pull away with ease however. Our current enemy had stubbornly refused to let us leave in a hurry, raising its arms in a locking embrace around our body.

Panic threatened to rise from within, stemming from the other's conscious. I crushed it with iron discipline. The other calmed under my guidance, reassured by my will alone that we would win this fight. All we needed was more strength. Always _more_. The other complied and muscles bulged beneath an armored hide.

We withdrew with a ferocity to rival our earlier engagement. Rearing backwards we broke the embrace rather easily, the mech unable to match our strength. We literally ripped free from their embrace. I took pride in the sight of the enemy's shoulder was torn off, the shattered arm trailing along with it. An excessive amount of orange spilled from the wound, flowing freely like a volcanic eruption.

Unbeknownst to us the synaptic feedback was so devastating that the mind connected to the Franxx overloaded with painful stimuli. The pistil spasmed erratically within her cradle as her brain was charred from the feedback impulse. Code 090 cried out in grief as he watched her die before him, tears flowing freely from eyes widened in shock and emotional trauma.

For our part we simply turned towards the new threat, welcoming the new challenger. Our jaws opened and the detached arm fell to the ground, crunching loudly at our feet. Its owner was forgotten, little more than a footnote to our memory of the battle.

The figure resolved itself quickly as it hurtled more than flew towards us. Jet propulsion it was then. It was also quite obviously an enemy in similar design to the others. We could see that it carried no weapon, instead it relied upon bright orange claws that were jutting from above its wrist. How savage, I thought with no misgivings about my own methods of murder. It relied on speed and ferocity to land a killing blow then. How strong is it? Not enough to worry about, I assured the other.

We activated our quills and rear thrusters as we leaped to meet the new-join, not content to let them come to us. I guess patience was not an abundant resource to us. Our talons reached out as we neared them. "Got you now!" yelled the soaring target. Azure talons clashed with orange claws, resounding with a metallic clang and a bright flash as the power fields connected briefly. Our momentum carried us past the pink one, further into the air.

Our spines turned and thrusters activated allowing us to pivot in mid-air and face the foe again. Shockingly enough, the enemy had expertly maneuvered as well and pivoted at the same instant. Faster than the spear wielders. A specialist then.

Our eyes locked in that frozen moment of time as we truly studied each other. Our vibrantly colored sapphire eyes gazing into the mech's ocean-blue irises. The rest of the mechanical foe appeared, for lack of a better word, feminine in its build. Strange to have a war-machine appear feminine. It 'wore' an armor plate in the shape of a vest on its chest. Its main body was that sickening pink only found in exotic flowers of the most vibrant hues. Chevrons of that same pink and ivory white followed down its legs. The legs below the kneecaps were a lighter shade of pink and appeared to be rather simply built, a stark contrast to the otherwise eccentric machine. To top it all off- quite literally- its head had two pink 'pigtails' that trailed it, because of course it had pigtails. Truly a masterpiece of machinery- or a madman's fevered dream.

In turn, I'm sure our enemy saw what they wanted to see: a monster born to kill.

Both combatants activated propulsion systems and we hurtled towards each other, like the jousting knights of old. _What are 'knights'_? It doesn't matter.

In a single heartbeat we clashed together once more, metal grinding loudly together as this time we didn't fly apart. Our talons were splayed wide allowing us to hold the enemy's own claws at bay pitching our strengths against one another. Both combatants still hovered above the battlefield, the force of propulsion equal on both sides.

We held our talons rigid as we poured more power into our thrusters. Our force began to overpower them and we slowly pushed them to the ground. The speed of our shared descent increased as more power flowed through our thrusters. Eventually, we would drive them to the ground. Then, they would be finished.

The enemy reached the same conclusion and called out for aid from their allies. "Hey! Chlorophytum, you gonna help us or what?" A distinctly high-pitched female voice screamed from the animated lips on the mech's face.

Strange, I thought. Why give them faces? And why did they yell instead of using the previously unseen, and probably more secure, line of communication that had summoned this one?

The realization hit me a moment later. They thought me unintelligent. They thought I had merely adopted their form. They didn't realize I had an intelligent understanding of their language. They were horribly underestimating us. I would be sure to use that to our advantage. And to remind myself to not make the same mistake.

Mere seconds after we had clashed together we neared the ground. It felt like an age, but it had to have been less than ten seconds. I had slept for an age, I knew what it felt like after all. As we neared the scorched, earth several tiny spines stood erect on our back, like sensory-hairs warning of a predator approaching. So, a new enemy had entered the fray.

Our talons collapsed suddenly, allowing them to disengage from the enemy's claws. We quickly reopened them and clamped down tightly just above the wrist of the enemy. We were careful to not grasp the weapons themselves. We pivoted while still in the air throwing our enemy to our side and dashing towards the ground in the same controlled movement. The enemy followed like a ragdoll, dragged behind in our wake.

We slammed into the earth with considerable force. As we did so we pivoted instantly and slammed our enemy into the ground as well, though with significantly less finesse. Pivoting with preternatural grace upon the ground we hauled them back up and transferred all of our momentum into a mighty toss that saw them hurtling towards their ally. The whole spectacular maneuver had taken less than two heartbeats to accomplish, such was our skill and speed.

The pink enemy flew exactly as one would expect a forty-meter tall machine would. Gracelessly and dangerously.

The new enemy didn't react in time, though they did a commendable job considering the situation. They had been swooping at full speed downwards at our rear. I could see bright orange blades integrated into this one's feet. It must attack like a bird of prey. Despite their predatory tactics they hadn't factored in a hurtling metal humanoid traveling at full speed in their direction. The two impacted with a satisfying crunch and their forms tumbled into the earth. They crashed down with all the grace of a cannonball, arriving in a metal heap of limbs. The sight was almost comical as it brought a smile to my face, though it was devoid of genuine humor.

We diverted power through our spines and jetted towards the fallen pair. The two enemies began to untangle themselves and scrambled to rise to a combat position. They were loudly arguing over how to do so, heckling like hens. How undisciplined they were. For some unfathomable reason, their lack of battle discipline angered me more than it should have. I channeled my rage into our speed arriving all the quicker for it.

As we neared, and the pair untangled, I was finally able to see the newcomer's form. The overall design was unique, and of course, eccentric to the extreme. The form was humanoid in design, leaning towards the feminine physique once again. Overall the machine was predominately white with violet markings spread across what appeared to be some sort of fins atop its head. Perhaps for increased aerial maneuverability? That would seem to fit the rest of the design. After all, it even had several long sets of metal tubes attached like feathers across both arms. Four sets of such tubes ran along the length of its arms. A skirt, of what I assumed were more maneuvering thrusters, completed the image. All things considered, it was very avian in its design and probably served as a scout or light fighter role when in combat. With those long-bladed feet, it was most likely meant for hit-and-runs as well.

We slowed as we approached, eventually coming to a complete stop as we regarded our two opponents. Both appeared to be fast attackers with extreme maneuverability, which meant that in order to counter them we would have to be much faster. Or overpower them. If they fought in harmony we would be finished, alone as we were.

Now this, _this_ is a fight. We flexed our hands, the digits extending a bit more as we lowered our upper torso. Our legs braced themselves, ready for instant movement in any direction. And then we waited to strike.

Her call interrupted any chance we had of initiating the battle.


	2. Chapter 2: The Hunt

This is chapter 2.2. Updates includes multiple spelling and grammatical errors.

* * *

 **Chp. 2**

 **The Hunt**

"Come on, Miku! We need to get up _now_!" Zorome whined as Argentea struggled to rise on its legs. Miku was thoroughly annoyed by his voice already. It wasn't _his_ body taking the strain of combat after all.

They had been tossed- quite literally- by the new breed of Klaxosaur, colliding mid-air with their comrade, Chlorophytum. It was an embarrassing moment for her, to say the least. Something like that had _never_ happened before, even in training, when Zorome would do his best to show off, they had never managed to embarrass themselves so thoroughly.

Argentea rose quickly to it's feet, spurred forth by Miku's will. She assumed a defensive stance in front of the still rising Chlorophytum. They held their claws at the ready, providing time for their fellow parasites to rejoin the battle.

Chlorophytum was slow to do so, their bladed 'feet' proving to be cumbersome and awkward when rising from the ground. Coupled with Futoshi's lack of experience, the combination made the entire procedure last longer than it should have. It left them extremely vulnerable as well, open to any interference.

Futoshi just couldn't sync well with Ikuno, firing thrusters out of time and throwing her off balance as she desperately tried to regain their stance. Ikuno quickly became exasperated by her stamen. She missed Mitsuru's calm, collected manner; though she didn't miss his condescending attitude.

 _Why were all the boys such… let-downs?_

"Futoshi, just... stop. I'll do it myself." Ikuno tucked their torso forward before launching backward, pulling their legs tight to their chest as they rolled. A hand punched into the ground and Chlorophytum somersaulted to their feet, ready to rejoin the fight.

"Alright, we should be good, Argentea." Chlorophytum boomed from behind them as they stalked out of Argentea's protective silhouette. Several measured steps later both Franxx units stood shoulder to shoulder, facing the Klaxosaur humanoid. Chlorophytum shrugged their shoulders back allowing their ranged weapon configuration to take over. The newly formed guns whined loudly as they hummed to life, magma-energy glowing warm within them. Ikuno nodded her Franxx's head in Argentea's direction.

"We have the right if you-"

"-take the left." Finished Zorome with enthusiasm.

There was no time left for idle chatting. Zorome leaned into the dual-handled controls and Argentea lurched forwards at flank speed. Power coursed through her mechanical frame and Miku relished that sense of speed. The sheer experience of unrestrained freedom such power brought was intoxicating. It almost made her salivate like Futoshi at the dinner table for even if the entire point of piloting was risking her life in combat, she still enjoyed every moment of it. The occasional harm to her biological body was a small price to pay anyways for the sensation of assuming the Franxx's form as her own.

On the monster's other flank Ikuno spurred Chlorophytum's maneuvering thrusters to maximum, matching Argentea's sprinting speed. Great swirls of dust flared in their wakes, further obscuring an already chaotic battlefield. The majority of both sides however had avoided their immediate battle area, through some unspoken agreement. Only the lifeless husks of Klaxosaurs and shattered Franxx units made an exception to the agreement.

Chlorophytum raised her twinned cannons and unleashed a teasing burst of energy from their barrels. The super-heated shots screamed across the short distance, burning through the very air it traveled. The burst flew along its path faithfully. It still wasn't even close to impacting upon the Klaxosaur.

In the same moment of Chlorophytum's burst, Argentea had changed direction on a dime and launched themselves at the Klaxosaur, arms spearing forward in an attempt to impale the creature or force it back into Chlorophytum's shots. Miku's eyes widened in surprise as the creature simply vanished from her sight, moving far too fast for something its size. Her blood ran cold as Chlorophytum's energy blasts flashed into view, and then into her chest plate.

Super-heated magma splashed colorfully against Argentea's white- and relatively undamaged- collar and chest plate. The metal blackened and charred beneath the energy assault, but fortunately for them it held. The force also arrested all of Argentea's forward momentum and Zorome pulled hard on the controls, stopping the Franxx in its tracks. Argentea turned to follow the Klaxosaur as they shrugged off the largely superficial wound. "Watch who you're shooting at Futoshi!" Yelled Zorome, more annoyed at his teammates than concerned with the fact that a Klaxosaur was out-maneuvering them.

"Focus you idiot! We got a war to win, remember?" Miku shook Argentea's head, shaking Zorome within the cockpit. Zorome huffed arrogantly as he righted his dislodged cowlick.

"Of course I remember. I'm not nearly as dense as Futoshi's fat ass!" Oh, how _delightful_ , now Futoshi is going to offer his opinion on Zorome's entire existence, Miku predicted. Summoned- as if by the dinner bell- Futoshi's voice wailed over the comm.

"My ass is only half as dense as your skull Zorome! You better watch yourself or else!" He threatened his fellow stamen.

"Or what? You'll shoot us again?!" Zorome sneered back at Futoshi.

"Enough!" Ikuno's voice cracked like a whip across the channel. "We have a Klaxosaur to kill- in case you hadn't noticed. Focus or I'll have you _both_ formally reprimanded." Suitably scolded, both stamen ceased their bickering. Ikuno took a moment to compose herself and return to her normal state of dignity.

Miku took this brief respite to salvage any advantage from the current situation. "Close in. It moves faster than us." She said as Chlorophytum and Argentea moved closer together. They turned and their backs pressed up against each other. Facing outwards, weapons at the ready they waited for the monster to strike.

Several high-strung moments ground by as no such attack came. Sounds of battle pierced the veil of smoke and dust surrounding them. Just beyond the dusty screen their fellow Franxx pilots died in a horrific melee, every second seeing the tide turn against them as more and more Klaxosaurs swarmed them.

It was Zorome who first broke the tension. "It moved on guys. And we can't stay here. There are far more enemies to fight. The other squads are dying while we waste away." He finished in a somber tone that did not fit him at all. Miku grudgingly admired his strategic insight. All she had to do was tune into the company net and she would hear a grim tale as their fellow Franxx units were overrun by the inhuman tide. They were needed elsewhere. A very bossy voice broke in over the net just to remind them of the fact.

"Chlorophytum! Argentea! What are you doing over there? The right flank has stalled far too long. The center is at risk of advancing too far and being surrounded! You have to keep _our_ pace." _Who the hell put her in overall command_? She wasn't, of course. But, she was most likely receiving up to date tactical information over the command net, which meant that she was aware of each sector's current condition. Including their momentary lapse in the battle.

"We ran into a complication." Replied Ikuno rather tactfully in her clipped, straight-to-the-point tone. "We had an opponent of a rather unique classification. But, it's gone now, most likely behind us and our frontline. Be advised that it is faster than us and much stronger. It devastated Squad 26. Their leader is down as well. Pistil death is likely, stamen condition is currently unknown."

 _Oh sure, just tell her we couldn't handle it why don't you?_ And of course, _conveniently_ leave out the part where _you shot me_! Miku seethed internally at Ikuno's report. What made _her_ the secondary squad leader?

Miku shook her head to dispel the toxic thoughts. Argentea mirrored her action and Zorome held on tightly as the movement threatened to void the contents of his stomach. Zorome let loose a string of obscenities as he recovered. Miku ignored them for the most part, choosing not to educate Zorome on his most obvious character flaws. At least, not at this time. Her anger stemmed from the fact that she had fought something _faster_ than her, and had _failed_ to catch it.

She was caught completely off guard by Ichigo's next set of orders.

"Argentea and Chlorophytum, withdraw from the front and hunt that Klaxosaur down. You two are the fastest we have. Don't engage it this time. Simply find it and inform me when you do."

"B-But what about Squad 26? They're undermanned and squads 30 and 97 can't hold this sector on their own." Futoshi protested on Squad 26's behalf.

"The Nines have agreed to send some help, don't worry. The left and center flank have to slow down anyways or else we will be outflanked. We can hold and wait for the right flank to catch up. With the Nines assisting, it will only be a few minutes at most. Now go, you have your orders."

Various positive affirmations were sent by the pistils and stamen of the two Franxx units as they turned towards the rear. Thrusters powered up, the internals configuring for speed and distance rather than combat maneuverability. They left the roar of battle behind them as they sped off to the rear, hunting the Klaxosaur that had broke through their lines for some mysterious, unforeseen reason.

* * *

We ran. Faster than we ever had before. Every instinct had told us to stay and fight. Every fiber of our being had wanted to kill. To tear the life from them. To watch them writhe in agony as their blood drained from their bodies.

Since when was I this violent?

We have always been so. We have always fought. It was why we were revived. We had been reforged, from two broken halves. We had been remade, and all the stronger for it when combined together. But, not strong enough to resist _her_ song. We were there for _her_ after all.

Her call had arrived mid-fight, freezing our movements. The enemy had been able to recover and rally against us, quickly turning the fight in their favor. Her mission was more important though, and we had indulged ourselves long enough.

Or so she had told us.

We had abandoned the fight- much to my disappointment- and had taken off at full sprint. Before I knew it we had dropped to all fours again. Our thrusters were powerful and very useful for short distances or bursts of dramatic speed. But, our torso was far too heavily armored to achieve sustained flight over any considerable distance. So, we tread the path of our more savage kin, all four limbs working to power us across the desolate plain at a tireless pace.

As we traveled our senses strained to locate the target. Baleful crimson eyes searched every combatant within the line. Several different spectrums of light flashed across our vision, painting the brutal melee in a splendid assortment of colors and hues. Targeting relays winked into existence across the enemies' myriad bodies and faces. Every last one was compared with our memory of the target and promptly disregarded as irrelevant to the mission.

 _Where was the key?_ She demanded the key. We would have it. But first, we had to find it.

Our enhanced hearing picked up the steady wail of a jet propulsion system. We were being followed. Most likely by the specialist pair we had encountered- and loathe-fully- fled from. Reason warred with instinct within us as we decided the best course of action against the hunter-killer team.

Slaughter them, I urged. Before they can interfere with the hunt.

No, said the other. Ignore them, they are no threat to us.

They could jeopardize our mission with their mere presence, I countered.

We cannot deny her will, declared the other.

Time was with us, was it not? We could stand our ground, murder them, and then continue on our way. If more came then we would kill them as well. And so on and so forth until we find the target. If they drip-feed to us they won't stand a chance.

The other reluctantly agreed with my logic and we turned to meet the old threat. Targeting overlays winked into existence over the distant enemy pair. They hurtled to us at great speed, powered by their primitive propulsion system. We powered back the way we came, moving to intercept. A distance tracker flashed around them, displaying a language I had never seen before but could interpret clearly.

-1200. Tiny specks, vaguely shaped like humanoids.

-1000. Features resolved. Identity confirmed as the specialist pair.

-650. Facial features became recognizable.

-400. The violet-winged one raises its arms, triggering the energy blasts again.

-200. We dodged the ranged burst, swerving to the side, losing some speed.

-350. No! They were so close!

-425. Cowards! They flee from us!

The enemy had their legs out in front of them as they withdraw, their torsos leaning backward. Propulsion systems whined loudly as they glided back across the ground. Their faces were still orientated towards us. A smart thing to do when fleeing an enemy in an orderly fashion. But, why flee? Why give chase and then turn tail just as you engage?

Because they aren't going for a kill. They are simply trying to deter us. Their intention was never to commit to an engagement. _Damn them_. We should have continued on and ignored them. The other had been correct. Thankfully they were not the gloating type. We had to return to the mission, but the pair would always be there interfere. We had to give chase. Or force their hand.

A terrible idea formed in that instant in a flash of mad inspiration. If the pair wouldn't come to us and we couldn't reach them then the only option was to change the rules of the hunt. Force them to confront us on _our_ terms. Our attention turned to the massive structure off to our right, a mere kilometer. Unattended by any sort of mech-infantry, it was simply waiting for a visitor or two. We knew from memories that were not ours that these massive constructs housed the enemy. Like a mobile hive. Massive amounts of magma energy spilled off the closest one, sensed by means I couldn't describe but clearly possessed.

Sapphire eyes narrowed as our shared face set in determination. We pivoted towards the hive and sprinted all out, abandoning the pointless chase. Our opponents were caught off guard and took a moment to reorient their thrusters, speeding after us as soon as they had done so.

Armored plates slid away from previously hidden alcoves across the surface of the hive, revealing massive weapons of staggering proportions. Several tiers of these weapons greeted us with a fusillade of fire, smoke pouring from their mouths as the coughed their payload our way.

A moment passed as the rounds descended in an awful silence. The first impact struck with a terrific explosion off our portside flank. The shockwave slammed into us a moment later, staggering our quadrupedal form and doing much to slow us. Our spines bristled at the force of the shockwave, but our heart sang with savage joy of a near-death experience. The threat of imminent death made life all the sweeter. Dust and debris were thrown high into the air with earth-shaking force as another round impacted upon our starboard. More rounds followed shortly after, but none fell directly upon us. Titanic amounts of dust and smoke were thrown into the air by the barrage, but it only served to conceal us further from their sight and the impacts began to fall with less cohesion.

We roared as we neared the hive. Our throat releasing a guttural howl. Had we been human it would have been a cold laugh delivered at the futile struggles of a dying foe. But, I hadn't been human for a very long time.

 _What was I then?_ Irrelevant, said someone; though I wasn't quite sure if it was I or the other that had given voice to it.

We pounced the last few hundred meters, slamming onto the sheer vertical side of the hive with a satisfying crunch. Our talons gripped tightly onto the wall, biting deep into the metal exterior. It would be a quick climb, especially if we utilized our propulsion system in controlled bursts.

We hauled our bulk upwards and fired the rear thrusters, gaining almost half the length of the side. We were far too close for any weapon systems to target us. Our pair of hunters had also peeled off their pursuit once the barrage had begun. Now they were far too distant to interfere in time.

Our arm stretched over the lip as we approached the top of the wall. We hauled ourselves over and found ourselves on the curved ceiling of the hive. The alcoves were still open and the guns still pointing outwards, ready to repel a wave of attackers. The alcoves could be our ticket in. If that failed a large atrium of sorts stood proudly atop the center of the hive.

We scrambled up the side, losing our footing several times thanks to the armor plates that were torn away by our taloned feet. The plates clattered their way down the side, sparks flying, until they reached the lip and went soaring off to crash into the ground far below. Just ahead of us was one of the openings. We moved in a hurry, concerned that they may close it.

We reached the alcove within moments and peered inside. The gun itself occupied the majority of the space, as expected of a gun-port. A massive, twin railed system was attached at both the top and the bottom allowing the gun to travel forwards and backwards at will. Metal scaffolding littered the side passages. It wasn't enough room for us to move through, not without tearing the scaffolding down. That was entirely acceptable though, even when one noticed the tiny figures scrambling to evacuate the area.

We hauled ourselves inside and stood in our hunched, bipedal form. The change had been much quicker this time, like flicking a switch. Sapphire eyes dulled coldly in the dim light as we advanced into the skin of the hive.

We crashed through the scaffolding, sending broken bodies tumbling out of our way. Screams pierced the air, echoing down the passageway, as men and women died around us. We ignored their cries of pain as we strode into the darkness, one heavy footfall at a time. We cared little for the worries of ones I once called kin. I shared little with them now. But, we still suffered the fatal flaw of all humans. A persistent will to destroy.

This place would burn by our shared hand.

* * *

Miku was fuming. That had gone over soooo well. Zorome voiced her thoughts for her. For being an annoying little shit sometimes, he and her were more alike than she cared to admit. Not that that made him any more tolerable.

"Damn it! Damn it! **DAMN IT!** " Zorome slammed his fists against his stamen throne with each obscenity. "Futoshi! Why didn't you move like we planned? We go right. You go left. Simple enough, right?" Zorome was absolutely livid that the Klaxosaur hadn't only gotten away, again, but that it had in fact entered Plantation 26.

"We weren't even supposed to engage you idiot!" Futoshi roared back across the comm channel as a live video feed of the boy appeared in Argentea's cockpit. Fantastic. Now the peer-to-peer channel was stuffed with insults about the other pistil's competence, weight, height, and ability to kick that little brown ball in the yard the furthest versus the hardest. Both boys were trading insults, both verbally and in exuberant hand gestures like it was an everyday affair, which for the most part it was.

In all fairness, neither parasite team could have predicted that the creature would have double-backed on its path and attack them. They had maintained what distance they could, as per their orders, and merely assumed that they would have been able to kite the monster indefinitely. Clearly that was the wrong assumption. Now they had been outsmarted by the Klaxosaur. This day just keeps getting better and better.

Before Ikuno had a chance to report their situation to Ichigo, Miku took it upon herself to do it for her, the reason being that they were both technically equals, and because she felt like being belligerent. Neither girl was more experienced in combat than the other or higher ranked in what little command structure existed for parasite teams.

Miku cut through the dual of dimwits to deliver her report to the squad leader. "Ichigo, yeah it didn't go well," she cut to the chase, "the Klaxosaur attacked us, we exchanged shots, yadda yadda yadda, the thing ran at a plantation, we let it because we thought it was suicide to go into the barrage from the defenses, turns out the Klaxosaur is super agile and breached into Plantation 26's outer hull. Please advise, over." Miku delivered her half-assed assessment of the situation and awaited a response. Miku would have placed a bet on the chance that Ichigo was going to yell at them. She was only half right.

"W-What!? How could you let it invade a plantation? And I specifically told you _not_ to engage. H-How could you be so… reckless?" Ichigo practically sobbed out the last word as her voice broke. They all heard her sigh after a moment, the girl exasperated and exhausted beyond belief from the stress of war. Miku tried to defend her actions by matching Ichigo's earlier tone but found she couldn't raise her voice in anger. Not now. Instead she felt nothing but sympathy as she spoke again.

"We're sorry, Ichigo." The words came out before she could stop them.

The stress Ichigo was undergoing must have been an immense burden upon her. As soon as they had been committed to the fight she had been constantly relaying orders to distant squads, redirecting forces to areas of imminent collapse and, of course, she had to do this all whilst engaging the enemy in a vicious melee battle. She was just their squad leader and technically should have been only responsible for their individual actions. Thanks to the ever-changing battle however, she had been forced into a larger leadership role as the chain of command's links were broken upon the anvil of war. Many good parasites had been lost today, their bodies either broken by Klaxosaurs or their minds crushed by hardship as their families died around them. This battle would take a heavy toll on the Parasite Corps as a whole.

Hachi's voice crackled in over the channel. "We have to deal with the unexpected when it happens. We can dwell on the past later, but now is no such time. Advance into the plantation using the main hanger of Plantation 26. It should have an access tunnel leading directly into the city proper. I'm sending you all the schematics now." Sure enough a holographic map of the plantation formed in each pistil's lower vision. Within each Franxx unit the same map was presented to the stamen, overlaying the 360-degree screen briefly before shrinking to the lower area.

"Code 015, you are hereby ordered to take Squad 13 and enter Plantation 26. Find and kill the Klaxosaur before it causes too much damage. The rest of Squad 26 will accompany you alongside 9B and 9G." Hachi declared in his monotonous voice.

Goro's surprise was evident in his response as he interjected. "Two Nines! Doesn't that sound like overkill? And are they not still needed on the field?"

"The battle is quieting down, actually. The Klaxosaurs are being pushed back, slowly but surely. The Klaxosaurs aren't swarming as hard, and in some cases, are even pulling back. The other companies are pushing hard as well, and I have just received word that the 7th and 8th united companies have been committed to the field. You have your orders." And with that emotionally detached assessment, Hachi released them to their task at hand.

Argentea looked over to meet Chlorophytum's gaze. "Ready?" They asked their fellows.

With a quick nod Chlorophytum agreed. "Yes." In the distance they could hear the distinct roar of several Franxx propulsion systems activate as their reinforcements hurried to their location.

"Let's go kick some Klaxo ass," Miku said with a smile.

* * *

We didn't have to walk long until we exited the weapon's tunnel, squeezing our bulk out as the last few meters proved to be tighter than anticipated. We entered a vast, well-lit expanse that stretched to either side until it curved out of view. Memories that did not belong to us- or me, at least- told us that this area was still located within one of the exterior rings of the hive. Only a few layers of administrative offices and service lifts separated us from the interior of the hive. We gazed upward and saw the ceiling curve away almost a hundred meters above us. More rails and scaffolding stretched across overhead, filling the expanse. More gun emplacements then, although they were on a noticeably smaller scale than the one we had exploited to gain access to the hive.

We turned to the right and begin our journey around the hive ring. Our form automatically hunched down, head lowered and shoulders raised, as we stalked through the defensive battery. Heavy, clanging footfalls heralded our approach as we stalked, alert to any enemy presence. We were not in any way stealthy.

But, where was the enemy? No worthy defense was raised to halt our progress. A few armed personnel in black fatigues and body armor would occasionally fire a burst of fire in our direction. We largely ignored these as their primitive, kinetic-based rifles did little more than chatter uselessly at our armored hide. Nothing they carried could possibly harm us. We were over forty meters in height and they were lucky to reach two.

At one point, we did encounter an armored personnel carrier of sorts. It sat horizontally in the middle of our path. Several of the armed men were deployed around it, weapons pointing towards us. The vehicle itself had a larger weapon of some sorts, most definitely a mounted machine gun. When it fired it confirmed my theory of its nature-not that it mattered. The weapon was still just as useless as those wielded by the guards. A casual stomp of one of our taloned feet silenced the vehicle in a terrific explosion that may have actually caused more of a delay to us than the actual mounted weapon.

As we stalked along the gun line we noticed more personnel. They were unarmed, and they wisely fled when we approached. They ran deeper into the hive, traveling into man-sized hallways that we could never possibly fit into. These must be the various individuals responsible for firing, maintaining, and loading the various weapon systems. Either they were cowards for abandoning their posts in the middle of a war, or they had been given orders to retreat. If they had been told to flee then that could possibly mean the enemy was sending a response our way.

Despite such a possibility, we continued at our lethargic pace down the line, clearly content to bide our time. The other protested this 'waste of time' and insisted we continue with haste, but I disagreed. The goal was to gather as much of the enemy as possible before sabotaging the entire structure. Once we reached the city we would target their central power core, fight until we were almost overrun, and then fall back to safety and let the place burn. It wasn't an intricate plan, but it was a good plan damn it. At least, that is what I told the other. They were far more preoccupied with finding the key than indiscriminate destruction.

In time the key will come to us.

Are you sure?

Destroying this structure is as much as a strategic objective as it is a challenge to their power. They will come.

Are you sure?

Of course I am. I know how humans work. Have I ever steered us wrong?

Well, there was this one earlier fight…

Never gonna let that one go, are you?

Never, the other pledged. Maybe they were the gloating type.

I sighed and our throat emitted a low growl that reverberated down the empty halls. A large gateway appeared in the bend of the wall ahead of us. This must be how they ferry the larger guns in and out for repairs, maintenance, or even replacements. Sure enough, as we approached I noticed a large rail system embedded within the floor, proving my theory.

Suddenly alarm lights flashed into life around us. A heavy door began to descend from above in a cacophony of grinding mechanisms. _They were trying to seal us off!_ Far too late for that though.

We crouched low onto all fours and sped through the portal. The heavy gate slamming down with a resounding bang just behind us. We had entered into a corridor that stretched for a few hundred meters. We continued at top speed as more bulkheads began their descent. Our talons tore great rents in the flimsy, metal-sheeted flooring, though where they touched the railing system they left no mark nor scratch. We cleared the corridor in moments and burst out into the interior of the hive.

We were crouched on a large balcony that ringed the interior of the hive. What we found gave us pause. We were not expecting such a site within this place.

A city sat peacefully within the hive, despite the war raging just beyond the walls. Just below us were several terraced layers that descended towards the center of the city. Each level had onyx colored buildings that radiated a warm shade of golden light. A large ring of water surrounded the city's center island. Elegant bridges of uniform make connected this island to the exterior ring. Upon this island stood a titanic central tower that reached to the very top of the hive itself, as if it alone supported the weight of the dome. Multiple cooling towers were interspersed around the monolithic tower, mingling with spires that reached halfway up the hive. There was no harsh, artificial light within the entire city, only that soft,amber glow that painted a most peaceful picture.

It was certainly a pretty sight. All that order and controlled civilization. The calm waters lapping at the city's center. Towering edifices of architectural wonder, paired with that radiant golden aurora. It was almost soothing in its own way.

The other actually calmed at this sight, our priority forgotten in the silence of the city. We remembered a city similar to this one, no, _they_ remembered it. One built long ago, and lost in a horrific war that had scorched the world.

My focus snapped back and I urged the other to regain their's. Such a peaceful sight could not stand in this world. It was only a lie. A fallacy erected in a vain attempt to enforce order and compliance upon a savage world, inhabited by a savage people. There could be no peace for humanity upon this world. No respite from our sinful vices. I learned that awful truth so long ago. The other was reluctant to comply at first, but eventually I got through to them as I mentioned the key.

Gathering our wits about us we set off towards the central tower. It was obvious from its size and central location that it was an important structure. If I had to guess, the tower was probably the main generator of power for the entire city, or it was imbued with central authority for humans were delightfully simple creatures at times. Either way, it was going to be destroyed by our hand.

We hurried through the city streets now, forgoing our earlier lethargy. The streets were large enough to accommodate our significant bulk, but oddly enough were empty of all terrestrial vehicles. No sign of people either. Had the city been evacuated so quickly? Surely, such an event was not possible. We had been in the hive for maybe less than five minutes. No one could leave their home, much less their city, in less than five minutes. It was a logistical impossibility. So, where had they all gone?

A thought struck me. Was this actually a city? Or just some elaborate hoax? What would be the point? The enemy hadn't known about our existence until very recently, so this wasn't a trap for us. I suggested we crack open a building and find some inhabitants for ourselves for it was possible that they were merely hiding. The other vetoed such a decision, preferring to stay clear of wanton destruction and unnecessary violence. How disappointing.

We hurtled down the empty streets, buildings blurring into a single wall as our speed increased dramatically. When we approached a drop-off onto a lower terrace, we simply leaped without hesitation, clearing a decent distance before crunching solidly onto the street below. We continued in this manner for some time, alone except for each other.

The other consciousness linked to mine had awoken fully, or so it would seem. They seemed to press less against my mind than they had before, preferring us to work in harmony rather than one mind trying to wrest the controls away from the other. Our minds were practically merged, our personalities entangled, but our lines of conscious thought were still separate on many levels. We shared a common goal, but we both had radically different ideas to meet said goal. Neither of us had any particularly clear memory of our previous lives as well. We simply had access to knowledge, contained within broken memories that were left vague and dark. Insubstantial ideas, thoughts, and values drifted freely within the barely-defined barriers of both our minds. We had nothing to base our personalities on. Whatever we had was an incomplete reconstruction of our respective psyches.

A keening wail pierced our troubled thoughts. That sound was instantly recognized by us as belonging to the propulsion system of the enemy's mech-infantry. Finally, we could have a real challenge. Within the confined city corridors their maneuverability would be reduced to almost nothing. Meanwhile, our talons would be able to rend and tear and savage and kill and bleed and- _enough._

We aren't here to murder everyone.

Well, where is the fun in that?

Find the target.

And then kill them?

No, try again.

Damn, this would be harder than I thought. To reign in my killing desire was no easy task. I had an overwhelming urge to break bones, split skin, and bleed an enemy dry. But, try as I might, I couldn't understand why. The other felt my frustration, but they couldn't share in it. For them contentment came with the mission being accomplished.

A memory flashed within my head. I had participated in many missions over the course of my previous life. Hundreds of them. I had once found such thrill in their accomplishment. To stand triumphant where others had failed. I promised the other we would succeed today.

We should hide. Lie in wait for the enemy. I suggested to the other.

The other mulled it over for a moment before agreeing that it was a sound tactical decision.

But where would we lay our ambush? We looked around our immediate area, finding only buildings. Buildings were destructible though. An inkling of an idea formed within our shared mind.

* * *

They arrived minutes later at the entrance of Plantation 26's hanger. Both Argentea and Chlorophytum awaited them, albeit in different states of readiness. Argentea was rearing to be unleashed, ready to hunt the Klaxosaur down with an excessive amount of enthusiasm. She performed practice moves, sparring with an invisible partner. Chlorophytum simply stood by, attentive to her surroundings but ready to move when required.

The ad-hoc group pulled up just shy of the hanger. Goro guiding Delphinium over to the two awaiting Franxxs. Ichigo's tinny voice booming from the massive Franxx's external speakers.

"Argentea. Chlorophytum." She nodded in turn as she greeted both Franxxs. "I'm relieved to see you both relatively unscathed. The battle has been a brutal one at the center. Are you ready to hunt this Klaxo down?" She was telling the truth, but was also pumping them up to cover for her own lack of desire for this hunt. She was mentally and physically exhausted. Goro too. But, they couldn't be seen as the weak link. They were the leaders after all.

Zorome responded in Argentea's name, utilizing the squad channel as his smug face appeared across Goro's visual feed. "Hell yeah! We are ready to get this bastard. Y'all just stand back and let us take this guy down. Ain't that right Miku?" Miku smiled, her Franxx mirrored the action, digital lips curling into a confident smile.

"We'll find him alright, but I'm gonna let the squad take him down. _Together_." She emphasized the last word.

Futoshi chimed in, that chubby-cheeked face gracing Goro's eyes with its presence. "You better not rush in again Zorome. We don't want a repeat of last time. Miku is right. Find the Klaxosaur and let the squad handle it."

Zorome's face twisted into an overly dramatic show of surprise. "You _dare_ to suggest that disaster was _our_ fault?!" He asked incredulously. "We're soooo taking this thing down. We are the only-"

"I'm going to stop you right there Code 666," 9B interjected. "Your partner is correct. You _will_ track the monster down. But, it's _us_ that will handle the killing part." The customized 9 Model swept its free hand, gesturing to the other Nine within their presence. "If you would simply be so kind as to find us our query that is. I'm sure Papa would be quite proud of you for assisting us in such a task, even if it is rather… mundane compared to ours."

Zorome bristled at the implied insult, ready to retort but was cut off again, but by Goro this time. "And Squad 13 thanks the Nines for their valued assistance. We really appreciate all the help we can get. You too, um, Code…?" He turned Delphinium until it faced the representative of Squad 26.

"Code 093 stamen reporting." A very deep and masculine voice replied followed swiftly by the pistil's far lighter voice. "Code 094 pistil reporting."

"Wait!" Of course, Zorome had to get a word in. Ichigo rolled her eyes. Delphinium mirrored the movement across her digital face. "Why is there only one of you? Where are the others?" The entirety of Squad 13 present cringed internally at Zorome's insensitive- and just plain foolish- question.

"We are all that's left. Code 090 still lives, though only by a thread. We are the only Franxx still standing in Squad 26."

Zorome blinked on the screen. His cheeks reddened in shame. "Oh, I'm… sorry to hear that." Thoughts raced through his head, unwanted and very troubling ideas. Had they died because Argentea hadn't killed the Klaxosaur? Had he simply done his job, would they still be alive? _No, don't think like that._ Focus, focus, focus. _We have a job to do!_

"Is everyone ready?" Delphinium called out. At present, she was the ranking parasite, even over the Nines, as they had been assigned to her charge.

"26th Plantation squad ready."

"We're ready," replied Mitsuru from within Genista.

"Let's just go already," Miku replied in exasperation.

"Ready on your mark," declared Ikuno.

"Ready when you are, Code 015," replied one of the Nines though no one could really tell the difference across the comm channel.

She needed no such acknowledgment from Goro.

"Argentea, you have point. The Nines will follow behind them. I'll follow behind the Nines alongside Chlorophytum. Code 094 and Genista will bring up the rear. Move out."

The group turned into the hanger and walked through it. It was wide enough for two Franxx units to walk comfortably abreast of each other. Argentea of course walked alone and slightly ahead of the group, as the duty of point-man required. The Nines stayed shoulder-to-shoulder and Delphinium and Chlorophytum followed suit. The last of Squad 26 brought up the rear alongside the canon-toting Genista.

They progressed quickly and quietly, well, as quietly as could be expected of war-machines of incredible mass. Only the heavy tread of their feet ringing loudly across the metallic floor accompanied them. They didn't have to travel for long until they exited the tunnel and entered the glowing radiance of the interior plantation. They spread out, expertly covering every sector of approach, although only a few possessed ranged weaponry. Training was training after all.

Ichigo opened a channel with their handler, Hachi, located within Plantation 13's command center. Hiro would most likely be beside him monitoring their progress just as well. At least he was safe she assured herself. Too many had fallen today. Any one of them could easily have been one of her squad. She couldn't even entertain such a thought as horrible as losing one of their own.

"Command, do we have any eyes on the target?" She asked Hachi across the net. Plantations were filled with cameras and she doubted it could have simply slipped into the plantation unseen. It had to be on camera somewhere.

"That's a negative, Code 015. We have its general location, but the cameras for the entire sector have gone dark. In fact, the whole area has experienced an interruption in power stability. The doctor has theorized that the Klaxosaur has some sort of disruptive EMP ability. Despite this, the doctor has also informed me that said ability is not powerful enough to affect a Franxx- at least in theory. I still advise caution though, especially when dealing with the unknown. The Klaxosaur is currently believed to be within sector four of the western district. The populace has gone to ground and you are free to engage as you see fit. We will continue to monitor your progress. Good hunting, parasites."

Ichigo nodded Delphinium's head in confirmation; although Hachi wasn't present. He could still probably see it on the active cameras within the current area.

"Alright, let's move out, 13th Response Squad. Argentea, you have point." Ichigo ordered and the ad-hoc squad assumed the same formation as earlier.

"Is that _really_ our current squad designation?" Miku teased as Argentea glided across the center of the street. All the Franxx units were currently utilizing their distance eating propulsion system, jets whirring from within their legs. It made the journey through the empty city much easier- and shorter- than had they walked it. They weren't so worried about an ambush as Klaxosaurs were not known for stealth. They would hear the damn thing long before they saw it.

Ichigo defended herself with a huff. "It's all I could come up with on a moment's notice. I couldn't just keep calling us 13th Squad, not since we have auxiliaries backing us up."

"I'd like to point out that you're _our_ back-up, Code 015." Added 9B with no small amount of pride. His smugness was so aggravating that Goro idly entertained the thought of back-handing the little shit on the spot. He was disciplined enough to restrain himself though. This time, at least.

"Of course, we understand. We won't get in your way unless it's absolutely necessary." Ikuno responded before Zorome could embarrass the squad once more.

"Heads up guys," Futoshi warned. "We're approaching the afflicted sector."

"Keep your ears open. We should hear it first. Klaxosaurs aren't known for their stealth. That means listen for once, Zorome." Mitsuru advised.

Zorome wisely kept his mouth shut, preferring to heed Mitsuru's advice. If Argentea claimed the kill it would show them all who the best was. He would bask in their admiration, and more importantly, show Papa that he could be relied upon. After all, he was Zorome The Great.

They entered the sector. Lights flickered within buildings. It was as Hachi said, power fluctuations were rampant in this area. Which meant their target was near. They couldn't hear it yet. Was the disruption field really that strong then?

They traveled slowly through the sector, eyes peeled and ears straining to find the Klaxosaur. Normally they would be able to track its energy signature, but not within the city. There were far too many energy signatures already within the area. One more wouldn't stand out.

Argentea glanced down a side street and noticed a heap of rubble. "Hold up, we got something. Looks like some rubble, but it could be our best clue as to its location." Argentea took the street, gliding gracefully down the road. The others followed suit, except for the 26th auxiliary and Genista. The two Franxxs took up an overwatch position at the turning point. Genista primed her canon, ready to blast anything that wasn't man-made.

Argentea reached the rubble and knelt, confident that the others had her backside covered. "It just looks like something large slammed into the building here. I don't see any other ground spores." Miku scanned the immediate area with her Franxx. No movement detected. No other abnormalities really. Just a heap of rubble, and nothing more. Argentea cocked her head to the side, confusion writ large upon her digital face. Miku flexed Argentea's claws, the magma blades extending briefly before retracting again. A nervous habit she had unknowingly obtained.

"Alright, let's continue on our way. If there is noth-," Ichigo's voice was cut off by an awful wrenching sound as the building behind the 26th auxiliary exploded outwards. Metallic shrapnel was sent hurtling outwards as a massive silhouette bounded from its hiding place. The Klaxosaur had set a trap! And they had walked right into it.

Massively armored arms opened wide and closed with terrifying speed. The 26th auxiliary was caught in an unbreakable hold, arms wrapped securely around them. The Klaxosaur reared up to its full height, lifting the Franxx from the ground. Genista lined up a shot, but Kokoro withheld from firing. She wasn't willing to fire at her own allies. She wasn't willing to kill them to stop a single Klaxosaur. In a cruel twist of irony, the parasite team would have had a better chance at survival had Kokoro taken the shot.

Arms compressed tightly. They all heard the metal scream under the immense pressure as it slowly gave away beneath such an awesome display of strength. Every Franxx moved quickly to aid their fellow.

Zorome yelled incoherently as Argentea flashed ahead of the group, despite being the furthest unit away initially. Being the fastest Franxx had its advantages.

They weren't close enough though. None of them were, not even one of the Nines made it in time to save their fellow parasite team.

They all heard the metal give in in a shattering, wrenching sound. The Franxx broke, its spine collapsing beneath the immense pressure. The pistil's screams echoed throughout every open channel as she died in incredible pain, her nervous system overloaded by stimuli. Brightly colored magma-fuel leaked from the broken back, drenching the Klaxosaur's arms in orange.

The monster growled a stuttering tirade of noises from its throat. The sound grated against their ears, piercing into the cockpits through the external audio feeds. It was an awful noise, and when one listened with imagination it almost sounded like laughter. Such a thing was only to be thought by the truly insane though.

The Klaxosaur, finished with its kill, tossed the shattered unit at Genista with such violent ferocity that they were forced to dive to the side. The Franxx went sailing past them before colliding with a building in a horrendous cacophony of shattering metal.

"Target engaged!" Ichigo reported as she activated Delphinium's weapon systems within their hands. The swords sang as they came to life. "Chlorophytum, cover Genista. Make sure the Klaxosaur doesn't take them down."

"Roger."

"Argentea move to cover it's escape. 9B," she glanced towards the 9 Model, "Take him down."

"Dr. Franxx here. Code 015, you will not let that specimen be destroyed. Take him. Alive." The doctor's voice cut in, catching Ichigo off guard as she had expected Hachi to reply.

"Say again your last." She wanted to confirm she had heard it right.

"I said: do _not_ destroy that Klaxosaur. Take it alive. Those are official orders from APE HQ. It is a valuable specimen that could turn the tide of this war." They had all heard the exchange as the doctor had sent it over the open channel. Wasn't the war nearing an end though? With the Gran Crevasse under APE control, they could finally put an end to this war. It was said that a weapon was buried within the Crevasse and with its power they could end the Klaxosaur menace once and for all. At least, that's what Papa had told them. So, why waste time and effort to capture this one?

The Klaxosaur moved quickly as the Nines engaged it. It rivaled their speed, if not outright surpassing it. But, it was a two-to-one fight. Genista and Chlorophytum withheld their fire, unwilling to hit the Nines as they dueled the beast.

The Klaxosaur showed an amazing display of skill and ferocity. It dodged and weaved in impossible arcs of motion, momentum allowing it to perform extreme acrobatics as it avoided the Nine's weapons completely. Every swipe swept cleanly through the air, blade singing harmlessly through emptiness. Every thrust was turned aside by azure-colored claws. It was strangely beautiful to watch the blue armored Klaxosaur fight. The three combatants wove an intricate dance of death as flashes of orange sparked brilliantly against talons of deepest blue. Not a scratch was inflicted against its armored hide however.

The monster went on the offensive suddenly. Powerful limbs striking in a tirade of quick blows, talons cleaving through the air. The Nines didn't dodge as often as the beast had, but they did block when they could. Talons crashed against weapon shafts, scattering sparks and inflicting deep grooves upon the hafts of polearms. They couldn't be on the defense for ever though. They gave ground where they had to, forced back by the monster's speed and strength.

"This!" 9G boomed between a fit of laughter, gasping for breath. "This is a challenge!" They could all hear the eagerness within his voice. He was actually relishing the duel. "I thought we would have to hold back to capture him, but _no_! We may even have to go all out for you wretched swine!" He taunted the Klaxosaur.

The Klaxosaur shoved 9B away and turned towards 9G. Its cold gaze locked onto his Franxx, as if it knew it had been challenged. The monster clicked its head to the side suddenly, twitching with insanity, as its eyes flashed crimson. A low growl emitted from deep within its chest, reverberating around them. Then it launched itself with maddening ferocity and a complete disregard for personal safety.

The Klaxosaur and 9G traded a flurry of blows in only a handful of moments. The Nine was pressed back, losing ground with every strike. He backed his Franxx up but the Klaxosaur only pressed all the harder, until finally it scored a mortal blow. Talons sunk deep into the Franxx's side, gorging deep in the metal before tearing free in an torrent of liquid magma. In an instant, 9G was kneeling before the Klaxosaur, unable to stand from such a grievous wound. He looked up into the Klaxosaur's face and saw something he had missed before. An intelligence lurked behind those eyes. Malevolent and cold as death's embrace. He had made such a fatal error.

Without ceremony the Klaxo placed a massive hand around the face-plate, engulfing the 9 Model's head within its clawed grip. 9B called out to his comrade as he flew in from behind, but he was far too late. The Klaxosaur squeezed with its monstrous strength and the cockpit caved in, the collapse of the metal sealing the fate of its pilots.

The Klaxosaur turned towards the other Nine, ripping free the remnants of 9G's cockpit. A portion of the mechanical spine that mimicked the human neural network was torn free as well, great bouts of magma dripping from the bio-mechanical system. The Klaxosaur held its ghastly prize above its head as it reared its head back to the heavens, jaws opening impossibly wide. It screamed then, as its kind were inclined to often do, but the sound was awful in its intensity, shaking the very plantation around them. The parasite teams writhed in agony across all of the theater of battle, the walls of the plantation no barrier for this howl of psychic madness. Never before had such a weapon been employed and there were no barriers to ward against it. No defense to stem its progress. The horde of screeching monsters added their own cries to this, compiling into an ever greater cacophony of metaphysical sound as they surged over the afflicted Franxx units. The tide of battle shifted on the edge of a knife, and suddenly humanity found itself on the razor's edge.

* * *

Outside the plantation, a self-proclaimed monster lifted her snout, forgetting for a moment the need bury herself in pointless slaughter. Blue gore dripped from her maw, freshly torn from a monster's body that she could have called kin in another life. She _felt_ the roar more than heard it and instinct overrode her current task. She moved, quickly traveling _away_ from the frontline for the first time in her life.

The line had blurred. There was no reason. No logic. Only battle. Only the slaughter that awaited her. She had nothing anymore, except for endless the thrill of murder. She used to kill for a reason. She used to kill for humanity. She used to kill to become human. She used to kill for _him_. For her _darling_. But, that destiny had been denied to her. She was a monster after all, and her darling was anything but.


	3. Chapter 3: Damage Control

Updated as Chapter 3.2. Fixes include correct spelling and grammatical errors.

* * *

 **Chp. 3**

 **Damage Control**

Dr. Werner Franks idly tapped his cane on the metallic flooring of the command center. The cane itself was derived of a 'tissue' sample he had collected from one of the many Klaxosaurs Strelizia had slain some years ago. The cane was an absolute necessity for any rapid movement at his extremely advanced age. It also had the practical purpose of being able to strike imbeciles out of his way.

He was an old man and he had never partaken of the very elixir of immortality that he himself had created, preferring to delay his biological clock with less 'taxing' treatments. Still, time had done a number on him over the years, but he had bravely fought it every step of the way; though it wasn't long until a new adversary had come to stalk him. Death itself had finally caught his scent and was closing with ever passing second, eager to claim him for its own. It had, after all, been denied the vast majority of the human race thanks to his own discovery. It wasn't just on his doorstep anymore, it was barging down the door with a SWAT team. Just a few more months- or even weeks- and he could finally embrace the end.

But, at the current moment his attention was focused on one of the many view-screens surrounding him, orbiting around the center viewer. The views varied in their content, but mainly displayed scenes of epic battle between man and monster. To his deep regret and personal shame, a vast majority of screens showed broken Franxx units in vast multitudes, casualty numbers ticking ever upwards in the corner of the screens. He did his best to ignore all of this and concentrate on the screen before him.

It was a collection of live visual feeds of the interior of Plantation 26. Specifically, it was the district that Squad 13 was hunting in. Much to his disappointment, he couldn't watch them _actually_ fight the Klaxosaur through the plantation's cameras as they had been disabled within its immediate area. He could still see through the Franxx's visual feeds, but the connection dipped into a poorer quality. It was certainly discouraging, though he should have predicted such thoroughness from _him_.

He knew what lurked within that thing's mind. Although he knew not what state it existed in, at least not anymore. Was the Klaxosaur in control? Or was the man? Did it even matter anymore? The line between man and monster had blurred long before that night anyways.

His mind wandered briefly to that night, so very long ago. He had been the lead scientist for the anti-Klaxosaur initiative. The job had taken him far away to the frozen north, leaving his soon-to-be wife alone and just as cold as his destination. The opportunity was far too good to pass up though. To this day he could still remember the limitless potential of what they could have achieved! It was intoxicating just to reminisce about. But, he hadn't been prepared for what he would be forced to do. The sins he had committed were far too awful to even think about.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts and to refocus on the present situation.

One of the doctor's many sins had finally returned to haunt him, practically rising from the grave to torment him and destroy all he had worked so carefully for. His plan was slowly coming to fruition after all these years. And now a new variable had been introduced that threatened everything. Or, if he played his cards correctly, it could bolster his plan's success by a magnitude. Papa had already expressed great interest in retrieving the specimen, but his goals more than likely differed greatly from the doctor's own.

Someone had to do something though, and soon. But no, not him. His cane swinging days were upon him, but his Franxx piloting days were far behind him. Technically speaking he had never ridden within a Franxx to begin with.

He turned to the dark-haired boy that insisted on being called 'Hiro' despite his assigned code. The boy cared deeply about Code 002- despite recent events- and had been her official partner until just before the attack had commenced. He was dedicated, Werner gave him that much credit.

The doctor had to play it right though. A few too many steps in one direction and the whole plan could come undone. If that happened, it was more than likely all of humanity would die out, returning en-masse to the dusty earth from which they came.

At least no one would remember his failures.

The boy was focused entirely upon a single viewer. It was the one displaying his former partner- Code 002- in all her savage glory. She fought alone and far away from any human assistance- as she so often had- against the endless tide of howling monsters. She paid no heed to orders, only going where the tide of foes was thickest. They fell to her jaws, limbs rent apart and cores ran through by her spiked tail. How she killed mattered little. The end result was always the same.

The doctor interrupted Code 016's thoughts by clearing his throat.

"Beautiful, isn't she?"

Hiro turned towards Dr. Franxx, face split between indecision and worry. He spoke rather tactfully and emotionally distant, considering his current situation.

"Strelizia is quite unique, sir."

"Indeed she is. She is a powerful Franxx, the best humanity could ever hope to field, though I was referring to your partner. Don't mistake my thoughts as anything other than pure admiration for her though. She has been through so much throughout her life. Sometimes I wonder how she still stands so tall."

The boy glanced back at the screen, contemplating.

"She is strong, sir. Strong enough to fly on her own. She doesn't need anyone." He sounded almost saddened by the girl's independence. Ah, so he felt useless to her then. He had the boy in the palm of his hand now.

"She is indeed strong. But, you cannot say she doesn't need anyone. _Everyone_ needs someone. She has always stood tall because she had to. She isn't the type to just lay down and die."

Hiro was forced to concede that last point. He found her so beautiful because of that. She could take the easy way out and just give up. She had had so many opportunities to do just that. To just stop fighting and let the monsters claim her. But, she never had. She had endured, despite all the odds, despite everything the world had to throw at her, she had continued to stand tall. And for a brief time, he had stood with her, and it had been glorious. The doctor continued.

"She has stood all this time, all these years, for reasons she has never revealed to me, or anyone else. The deaths of her partners kept her isolated from everyone. They became afraid to ride with her, and I believe that deep down she was afraid of them. Of anyone getting too close to see her for what she truly is: a frightened, little girl. She shut herself off from the world emotionally and I think that's how she still stands today. She suppresses her empathy through sheer force of will, unable, or unwilling, to actually connect with someone… that is, until she found you. The only time I saw her 'happy' before she came here was when she was fighting a Klaxosaur." He paused, ready for the final push. He turned to the boy. "She needs you, now more than ever."

Hiro turned to face the doctor- slowly- dragging his eyes reluctantly from the screen. He almost couldn't speak, his voice was but a whisper, barely audible within the command center.

"She… needs me?"

The doctor nodded sagely, conceding the truth of the matter. "In all my years of knowing her, I never saw her act like a normal girl. Until I saw you two together. She had always been a bit 'possessive' towards her partners, but not like when she was with you. She adored everything about you, Hiro. She followed you wherever you went, waited upon you when you were gone, and even learned from you as you interacted with others. You might have missed some of these things, but I know Zero Tsu well. I'm the closest thing to a father that she has, you see. I was so proud of her these past few months though. She developed more as a person in her brief time with you than she ever has before. Than she ever has with me. You were good _for_ her."

The doctor turned towards Hiro. He was only slightly surprised by the pained, sorrow-stricken expression upon the doctor's face. He genuinely cared for Zero Tsu.

"She needs you, more than you could possibly know."

Hiro stared at the doctor. Tears began to well within the corners of his eyes. He blinked quickly to banish them, but it served only to expedite their arrival.

That's when he pulled something from beneath his labcoat. He held it out to Hiro, letting the light fall upon it in order to reveal its nature. It had been a hand mirror, but was now cracked and broken, the few remaining shards reflecting only twisted images.

"It would seem that Zero Tsu has forgotten one of her possessions in her exodus; though, it is quite broken and long past its prime."

Hiro sobbed then. He couldn't control it. The shattered reflection showed only the truth of his promise to the girl. A lie. An unfulfilled vow. He had failed her, possibly more than anyone ever had. She had placed such faith in him, even all those years ago, only to have it become misplaced.

What was he, but just another lie to her?

But the doctor wasn't finished, not yet. "Perhaps, if someone were to return it to her, she would be thankful. Shattered as it is now, it is a useless thing. But, with some love and care it could be made whole again... and serve a purpose."

The doctor held the mirror out to Hiro, handle first.

"Will that someone be _you_ , Hiro?"

Hiro stared down at the handle. It would be so easy to refuse, to say he was unworthy of taking it to her. And just as he was about to do so a thought struck him.

Maybe that's what keeping a promise meant. Maybe it meant doing what no one else would, or even could, do.

He realized then that he had been wrong to cast her out. He had been wrong to call her a monster. She was broken too, just like him. But, maybe- just maybe- they could help each other repair their own shattered selves.

His hand reached out and wrapped around the handle, taking it from the doctor. His choice was made. He wouldn't fail her, not today, not tomorrow, nor ever again. He renewed his promise to her in that instant; though only he knew of it. That didn't matter though, so long as he fulfilled it.

Hiro turned towards the exit, leaving at a brisk pace. The door sensed his intention and opened wide as he neared. He paused at the threshold, eager to depart but knowing he couldn't do so just yet. He turned to look back at the doctor.

"Thank you."

Werner nodded and Hiro bolted out the door, not a moment to spare in his mind. The doctor found himself alone, aside from a few technicians and Hachi, of course, as he returned to the viewing screen. He was just in time to see the slightly delayed- and heavily fragmented- battle between the Nines and the Klaxosaur. The audio was a bit delayed as well. _Accursed thing._

His eyes widened as the monster outmaneuvered a Nine. He watched, slightly unnerved, as the beast scored a telling blow to the 9 Model. Then it tore the head off, the bio-mechanical spine dangling freely too as the beast tilted its own head back, letting loose a victorious roar. His jaw would have dropped to the floor had it still been capable of doing such. Such power! Such speed! Even after a century's time he still excelled in combat.

Then the audio hit and Werner clamped his hands over his ears, as any normal human being would have. His body hit the floor as agony arced through his nervous system. It took him a moment to realize that the screaming wasn't just coming across the feeds.

* * *

Hiro bolted down the many hallways of the command wing, eager to suit up. He knew of only one way to get to Zero Tsu and it didn't come without risk. It would be best if he was totally prepared.

Hiro gripped the handle of the broken mirror in his left hand. It was totally useless, but he still carried it with him because it was _her's_. It was just a dumb mirror, but it represented so much more than that. It was the only solid proof of their vows. The only material item exchanged between them across all the years. To him, it was worth more than his life.

He was fast approaching the parasite changing rooms when the roar bounded down the hallway, stopping him in his tracks. It was easily the loudest thing he had ever heard, completely blocking out all other sound. It brought him to his knees, ears ringing and head pulsating with pain before it finally came to an end.

He didn't wonder what it was. He didn't question the physics of it like many others had. He didn't even know what had caused it nor did he care. He had only a single, troubled thought in that moment.

His Zero Tsu was in trouble.

He staggered to his feet, legs trembling beneath his weight. Unbeknownst to Hiro, every human within the area was still writhing upon the ground. But, Hiro was only human when one considered his outwards appearance. One glance at his current genetic structure and that illusion was quickly dispelled. Hiro was ignorant of such biological changes taking place within him however and he took several faltering steps forward, doing his best to fight through the pain. Every step was a monumental effort to him; though it got easier as he conquered the weakness within his own limbs. After a few steps he was walking, albeit with a limp. Another dozen steps and he had achieved a brisk pace. He began to run, the pain forgotten. He thought only of her.

His Zero Tsu was in trouble.

He reached the changing rooms without incident. He encountered a few adults on his route, but not one noticed him. They were all recovering from their own agony, leaning against walls and, in some rare cases, each other. What had that roar been? It didn't matter at the moment, but whatever caused it was surely going to be a problem later. The only thing that mattered at the moment was getting to Zero Tsu.

His Zero Tsu was in trouble.

He slipped his parasite suit on and fumbled with the bulky chest piece that loosely resembled combat armor. How was he going to get to her though? He couldn't pilot a Franxx on his own. Or could he? No, that was a bad decision. Not to mention there were no Franxx units left within the Plantation. But, a training unit held a vast reserve of fuel within it, enough to cross the distance between plantations. The only drawback was its speed, or rather, its lack thereof. Not fast enough then. She was in danger.

His Zero Tsu was in trouble.

The answer came to him as he exited the changing room. An APE gunship would be more than fast enough. There would even be some on hand- as per standard operating procedure- they would be already fueled and armed as well, ready to launch at a moment's notice. And he had already piloted a Franxx, so how could a gunship be any different? He turned towards the aircraft hanger, stationed higher within the plantation than the Franxx-bay. He sprinted there, eager to launch his insane plan with utmost haste. He only briefly considered the consequences of stealing a gunship, but quickly dismissed them as being less than what would happen to Zero Tsu.

He urged his limbs to move faster. Faster. Faster. _Faster_. They burned with anaerobic respiration, screaming at him to stop and take a breather, if only for a moment. He couldn't, he wouldn't. He had to reach her.

His Zero Tsu was in trouble.

His limbs burned with unholy fury as he finally reached the hanger, he had had to scale several flights of stairs to reach this area. Several gunships stood by, engines warmed up and fully fueled. No guards patrolled the hanger for the moment, only a few technicians and a handful of medical personnel making their rounds after the roar had sounded. It must have been luck he decided. If only he knew the lengths the doctor had gone to in order to clear the path for him.

Hiro sprinted across the deck, going unchallenged until the final few meters. A technician called out, questioning his business. It was too late though as Hiro slipped into the cockpit and gazed upon the control scheme for the first time. He grinned as he realized it was not too dissimilar from a Franxx control scheme, though with a few extra buttons.

Hiro laid the mirror upon his lap, careful not to lose it or break it anymore than it was already. He gripped the controls and hauled upon them. The engines flared into life and the gunship ascended with a fiery roar. Technicians ran for cover as he maneuvered the aircraft around, turning towards the hanger doors. His heart jumped into his throat as he overcompensated the turn and bashed against the side of another gunship, sending it toppling onto its side and scraping against the ground.

"Oops, my bad. Sorry about that." He muttered as the cockpit slid over him, sealing him within and reducing the clattering of the hanger to a dull, background roar.

He leaned into the controls and his body was thrown back into the seat as the acceleration pulled him into his seat. He burst out into the open sky, clearing the hanger quickly. He was free of Plantation 13.

"I'm coming, Zero Tsu." He promised her that.

* * *

We gazed upon our handiwork, nodding in satisfaction with the results. The roar had been much more effective than I had originally anticipated. The enemy units had been dragged to the ground en masse by their own pain. The fight was over, for the moment.

We took the opportunity to orient ourselves within the labyrinth of the gold-lit avenues. We had yet to reach the city center and therefore could not yet be considered surrounded by the monolithic towers and far-reaching skyscrapers that humans constructed with such skill and repetition; however, most buildings within our area still managed to overlook us in height. We were getting closer after all. Soon we would enter the heart and rip it from this hollow world.

Movement caught our eye and we turned, all too keen to test ourselves. Sure enough the twin of our most recent kill was all too willing to provide such a distraction. They struggled beneath their own weight as they sought to rise.

We should find the key. Quickly, while they regroup.

Let's have a little fun first, no reason to rush the mission.

The mission comes first.

The mission's _success_ comes first. It matters not the time it takes.

I could sense the other's frustration at my reasoning, but I had succeeded in delaying us long enough. The enemy had risen, utilizing their spear as a crutch and hauling themselves into a standing position.

Oops. I suppose we have to finish what we started. Can't leave enemies behind us, can we now?

Fine. But make it quick.

As you wish.

We stalked forwards in the enemy's direction, relishing the blank stare they gave us. Despite those soulless, dimly glowing eyes, I imagined I could see the undaunted determination held within. Good. Very Good. They wouldn't go down without a fight. That's what mattered to me. I didn't want to see them die on their knees. I desired a kill, and preferably a fight with it, not an execution of an enemy too weak to stand.

They roared wordlessly at us, the cry heavy with sorrow and bolstered with rage even as it was filtered through their external speakers, painting it with a harsh, mechanical undertone. _Such spirit!_

The enemy fired their rear propulsion. It sent them hurtling down the street at breakneck speed, clouds of dust were whipped into a frenzy as they passed. Glass shattered from the vibrations of their thrusters, only to rain down in a shower of crystal shards, the light catching within them and setting the avenue ablaze. _Such speed!_

They angled their spear before them. The blazing, orange tip catching the golden lighting at just the right angle in order to shine more brilliantly than any star I had ever seen. _Such presentation!_

Time slowed as they neared us. Every detail was thrown into stark relief as we picked out the livid, crimson trim highlighting the armor of ivory. Heavily armored legs splayed out behind them, almost dragging as they were so near the ground. Their body was slim and once again leaned more to the feminine side of design. I was beginning to notice a trend with our enemies. Massive wings- if that was what they truly were- were attached to the forearms, increasing their profile to ridiculous portions. It looked more like an aircraft than an infantry unit.

We threw ourselves forward, meeting their mid-air charge head-on. Our arms flew up and claws clasped the weapon's shaft just below the head. We held fast as their momentum transferred to us. We braced our legs against the ground- or at least attempted to- but their momentum was too great and we were forced back. Our legs maintained their stiffness but the ground itself was torn up by the force of the clash. Deep furrows within the road marked the opening seconds of our brutal engagement.

Eventually, we ran out of street and slammed into one of the buildings, shattering windows and causing it to groan alarmingly behind us. Dust and masonry rained down upon us and our opponent. Their spear inched closer as the momentary shock of the impact had dramatically weakened our grip.

Perhaps next time we should dodge?

I ignored the jab, my usual wit a bit preoccupied for the moment with not being skewered like a worm upon a fisher's hook.

The weapon's advance slowed as the sheer strength within our limbs overcame their initial momentum. The cold steel of machine was formidable with its own power, but even they had limits that they could never pass. Such was the limitation of machinery. Our arms held no such limitations within them though. Slowly- very slowly- we compelled the spear backwards. Metal ground within the enemy's arms as they resisted us, but it was a pointless battle. The spear itself let out a groan and we twisted our hands to the side. A loud crack sounded from the weapon as it snapped in two within our clawed hands.

We dropped our right shoulder and launched forward with a thruster-assisted boost of speed. The dense pauldron slammed into the enemy's upper torso and sent them sprawling backwards with the broken weapon in their hand. We finally saw our opening to end this.

We stepped forwards bringing our bulk into their guard as we simultaneously reversed our grip on the broken spearhead. We grasped it like a dagger as we brought it up and into the flank of the machine, tearing through their armor as if it were paper. Our left hand came up and gripped their shoulder and we pushed them back towards the side of the street. The building shuddered as we slammed into it. The tables had turned in a matter of moments. They reached up with a hand to grip ours, fingers scrabbling to pull the dagger free. Our grip was iron though and would not relent. We forced the impromptu dagger deeper; metal split under the immense pressure being applied, as bright fluid seeped from the wound. We leaned our head close to them and our jaws parted to let us speak.

"Shhhhhh," it came out as little more than a hiss, barely a breeze passing between our jagged teeth, but it least it would be recognizable to any sentient creature.

We pushed the weapon of opportunity deeper into the dying enemy. To their credit- and my own sadistic joy- they fought every bloody meter of the way there. Their hands scraped against us, too weak to do much more than offer a token resistance. The connection was slowly being severed between pilot and machine. Suddenly, resistance gave way before us and the blade stabbed through, impaling the machine against the building. The enemy shuttered as they died, unable to slide to the ground.

We laid a hand upon their face, mimicking the closing of eyes and the passing of life. Clawed hands slowly caressed the angular edges of the faceplate as they traveled downwards to the enemy's chin, almost tenderly in their touch. Our hand fell to the side as we withdrew. The face bore a new decoration upon it. Even the most gentle of touches from our claws had carved shallow cuts upon the enemy's faceplate.

Is your bloodlust satisfied?

Indeed it is. _Wait!_ What did we do with the first one's head?

We dropped it. That was after you crushed it with our claws. You don't remember?

We dropped it? _And crushed it!?_ I don't remember that. Damn, we should retrieve it. I liked it.

No. We proceed along our mission path. I'll find you a new head. It will be better.

Promise?

Promise.

With our next course of action decided, we turned and began to lope down the street, leaving the body impaled upon a building a stone throw's away from its brother. I desired to turn back and finish off the others- and collect the head- but the other had indulged my bloodlust for long enough and would not relent; though the promise of a new head later soothed the burning urge to instill violence and terror. Still, I felt like a spoiled child denied their candy as I was hauled reluctantly along.

What is candy? The other could sense my train of thoughts at times, and I them.

Seriously? It's a food with no nutritional value except excessive amounts of sugar.

Sugar has nutritional value to my kind. We require it within large amounts, actually.

Is that so? What exactly is your kind?

The other was silent as we padded down empty, dimly lit streets. After a moment I received a reply.

I don't remember.

They sounded… sad with their admission. As if guilt for having forgotten a loved one's name. I understood that feeling all too well. I had been experiencing the same distracting- and often conflicting- emotions since we had awakened. We were tools for _her_. But, surely we had served another purpose before _her_? Did that life not matter to me now? Or to either of us?

The past is irrelevant. It cannot be changed. All that matters is the future.

Perhaps it does, but are you not the least bit curious as to our respective pasts? I'm very curious to find why I experience such rage against my own kind. And the urge to kill is so strong within me, it gnaws against my very soul, urging me to act. Why is this? I remember being human, or rather I felt like I had been human at some point. Why should I revel in their destruction if this is so? Are they not my kin?

You have found new kin in mine. As to why you rage so greatly against your own kind though… I have no answer to give you. My own past is just as... missing. When I try to concentrate on the time before, all I feel is an emptiness.

Those things are not my kin and they are little better than mindless beasts. They act upon instinct and care little for their surroundings.

You have no right to call anything a beast. You take such delight in killing, its almost disturbing to me. If I cared for the humans I'm confident I would be abhorred at your treatment of them. However, I am your kin now, and our fate is tied together.

Perhaps, you have a point there. I feel no regrets for the blood we have already surely spilled. Maybe I am a beast? _Hah!_ I like that, now that I think about it. Well, I suppose that matter has been settled.

I'm glad you have reached such a conclusion, now we can actually discuss our plans for finding the key. Which are what exactly?

Find the corrupted heart of the city and rip it out.

Yes, I understand that, but why? The other sounded exasperated as we conversed for what was really the first time. I tried my best to not exhaust them anymore than what was necessary. Easier said than done.

It is a challenge to them. By destroying their home they will be forced to deploy their most powerful asset: the key. Then, we take it.

I understand your intentions, and while they work towards our goal there remains a slight problem. The key is not an object. It's a sentient being in its own right, equal in size and power to us, perhaps even greater in regards ti the latter.

The other shared with me an impression of the key's appearance. Not quite a memory, but not quite an explanation. Like something I had been forced to recall after having only a glimpse of it.

I see. Now that I have been presented with the details of our target, I am open t- wait! Do you hear that? Their engines are firing. They are in pursuit.

We stopped at an intersection and raised our snout to the air as our ears strained to pick out the noise of the enemy. We could not tell which direction they came from, not yet, but they were close.

I can smell them now too! They are indeed close. We cannot hide again, they are expecting it.

Their scent was that of heavy machinery, metallic and oily. But, the mere promise of doing battle once more excited me. I was practically drooling already.

Perhaps we should try a more 'direct' approach this time?

I think you're finally starting to see things my way. Let's begin.

* * *

Delphinium came to a halt. Before them lay the decapitated husk of what had been a fine warrior. The head had been crushed by immense pressure, becoming little more than scrap. Neither parasite held any hope that its pilots had survived. If they had lived through the initial decapitation it was unlikely that they had done so without serious injury. It was probably for the best that they hadn't lived.

Ichigo contemplated the power required to defeat a Nine. They were one of the best squads that could be fielded by APE. Their kill count was astronomical and their reputation was legendary. They were a proud squad and had never lost a man, even when they had faced some of the toughest Klaxosaurs ever recorded. Until now. It was cruelly fitting then that pride had been their downfall. Still, they were Ichigo's fellow parasites and she lamented their passing. Especially since it was now up to her squad, and them alone, to put a stop to this monster. How she wished Hiro was with them, piloting Strelizia by her side. But, it was for the best that Zero Tsu wasn't with them. She was far too dangerous for Hiro to be around.

"Hey. Ichigo?"

Ichigo was brought out of her thoughts by Goro's voice. She hadn't realized she had become distracted. Focus. Focus. _Focus_. She turned her thoughts to the present.

"What is it, Goro?"

Goro turned Delphinium in the direction of the impaled Nine. It was a sorry sight, leaning against the building as it was. It hadn't died a glorious death. It had been murdered.

"The head is still intact. There might be a survivor. Two if we are lucky and the pistil managed to disengage in time." He sounded hopeful, for her sake of course. He seriously doubted that either pilot had survived. There were hideous scratch marks all across the faceplate, noticeable even from their distance.

"Right, let's check."

Goro guided Delphinium down the street until they reached the 9 Model. The scratches were far deeper than they had first appeared, although they missed anything of real, vital importance. The Nine's own spearhead had been used to impale the Franxx to the building. It bit deep into the masonry of the structure, securing the Franxx as surely as any bond. On closer inspection, they noticed that the paint had been scraped clean from the fingertips. At least they had clawed at their assailant until the bitter end. What good it did them.

Delphinium reached up and around the faceplate, fingers scouting for the emergency release. Finding the two massive opposing buttons on either side she quickly pressed them down, unlocking the cockpit. The faceplate fell away with a loud hiss as pressure escaped wildly in all directions. The interior of the cockpit was revealed as the face became a platform. A single figure strode out and onto this surface. They looked upwards at their savior with a neutral expression on their silver-masked face. Goro's voice boomed from Delphinium's externals.

"Does your partner live? Do you need assistance?"

The Nine simply shook their head, answering both questions at once. They raised their hand and pointed down the street- clearly, they wanted the mission to take priority over them.

"Best of luck to you then."

Delphinium made to move but stopped before completely turning away. A quick glance back at the Nine and Delphinium spoke with Ichigo's voice. "I'm sorry about your squad mates." She didn't expect a reply and promptly received none, bar a single nod of recognition.

Delphinium stalked down the street, blades drawn and humming with energy. Ichigo opened the long-range comm in an attempt to contact Hachi. Static was her only reply. Short ranged comms worked fine, more or less, as she soon found out.

"Squad 13, assemble on my position. Leave the dead were they have fallen. They will be handled by retrieval teams once we complete the mission." It wasn't long after she sent the transmission that the first of Squad 13 arrived.

Argentea was the first to reach them, appearing seconds after the order had been given. The Franxx gliding up to them and pulling up shortly before their squad leader. Argentea nodded in greeting to Delphinium before turning their attention to the dead Nines. Zorome let out a low whistle as he gazed upon the impaled Franxx.

"Damn, that's brutal." Zorome was tactful enough to keep his comment restricted to the squad net alone. Not that any other parasites were within range of intercepting the signal.

Chlorophytum arrived next, gliding effortlessly across the ground. Genista followed shortly after, the heavy cannon slowing her down significantly.

"Chlorophytum, what are your energy reserves at?"

"63% capacity," Ikuno replied.

"Good, do you have enough room within the city to actually achieve flight?"

"Indeed we do. You want us up there?" Ikuno sounded almost eager to everyone's ears. It was… abnormal to hear such an inflection within her tone. In sharp contrast when Futoshi spoke it was burdened with hesitancy, perhaps even fear.

"Wait a minute, are we going to fly? Like, actually _fly!?_ "

"What's the problem, Futoshi? Afraid you won't generate any lift with your fat ass?" Zorome sneered across the comm channel. Of course, he had never actually flown before either. Most Franxx units were not even capable of achieving true flight. Only by utilizing their thrusters in powerful bursts could most Franxx units come close to anything approaching flight; though it was heavily taxing on their energy reserves. Only advanced units such as the Nines, Strelizia, and Chlorophytum could actually achieve sustained flight for any considerable distance.

Much to his credit, Futoshi chose not to rise to Zorome's bait. Instead, Ikuno replied to Zorome's comment. "Have fun on the ground, Zorome."

Chlorophytum spread her arms wide. The thruster tubes realigned until they pointed downwards. A cascade ignition sequence began within the furthest, opposing tubes from the central body. Each pair fired up in sequence, one after the other, until the center-most pair activated. All thrusters boosted at that exact moment and sent the Franxx soaring into the air at top speed. The others were buffeted by the force of the lift-off.

Chlorophytum roared into open airspace, soaring higher than the towering gold and onyx colored edifices that had replaced the steel and glass of old architecture. Ikuno deemed that they had soared high enough when she cut the power and they slowed significantly, gravity pulling them back downwards. She could feel Futoshi's apprehension at this, gnawing at the back of her mind. But, he really had nothing to worry about. This was her Franxx, and she had long ago mastered it.

Chlorophytum's spine arched backwards as their legs were thrown skyward. The mid-air backflip was graceful only because their size crafted such an illusion. The plantation's ceiling rolled across their vision as they turned upside down. Futoshi felt like he was going to be sick as the ground came back into view and the world was righted once more. The thrusters boomed once again and Chlorophytum sped off in the direction of the city center, eyes scanning the ground below.

Back upon the ground, Delphinium turned away from the rare- and incredibly risky- mid-air trick. She snapped mechanical fingers to get the squad's attention refocused on their leader.

"Argentea. We need you up top as well." Delphinium flicked her head at a building, damaged from the fight but still standing. "Get climbing."

Argentea smiled, digital lips spreading wide and eyes gleaming with mischievous intent. It wasn't unusual for the parasites of Squad 13 to apply more 'unorthodox' tactics, but today was certainly full of surprises. Argentea was quick to action, both parasites wanting to challenge themselves and their Franxx, and they moved with haste to the building. Claws flicked out and speared into the superstructure of the building. The Franxx began her methodical ascent, hand-over-hand until she disappeared over the top.

"Genista, follow me. Make sure you're locked and loaded."

"Right!"

Delphinium turned and raced down the street, blades gleaming in the dull light. Genista was close behind, albeit a bit slower. She reloaded as the two robots lumbered down empty streets, discarding spent magma fuel cartridges behind her. Mitsuru wasn't quite used to reloading the cannon yet, but Kokoro was well versed in such an act. The monotonous action helped to focus their minds and steady shaken nerves.

"We should have taken the shot." Mitsuru sounded regretful as he spoke to his partner and her alone. "If we had, the Nines would have lived and we wouldn't be putting our entire squad at risk."

Kokoro was silent for a moment before she answered.

"We can't blame ourselves for that. We didn't want to hit our allies. It was a noble decision to hold our fire. If we had fired then and killed them instead, we would be no better than the Klaxosaur. We are guardians after all. We fight to _protect_ , not to _destroy_ like that... thing does."

Mitsuru smiled at his partner's logic. Perhaps she was right. No, no, she _was_ right. But, he still couldn't stop the feeling that he had failed. He had had the Klaxosaur in his sights and shown hesitancy. What would happen if he had to make another decision like that and they couldn't pay the toll? How many more would have to die because of his weakness? He was left alone to ponder his thoughts as they continued their pursuit. He didn't feel like burdening his innocent partner with such heavy thoughts, not at this moment.

Argentea had reached the rooftops and now bounded across them, shattering them with her weight occasionally, but otherwise keeping up with the squad. Both parasites delighted in such a challenge of agility. Zorome ached to prove himself and every building they leaped, climbed, or pounced upon was just another completed obstacle to him. Still, he had to admit that the city was profoundly awe-inspiring from their vantage point, even if lights sputtered and died around them, slowly bringing about a false night to the city.

"Do you think this will work?"

Miku's question interrupted his admiring of the city. "Yeah, I do think it will work. Why wouldn't it?" His question was genuine. He had no idea as to why it wouldn't work.

"It's just this feeling that I have. I mean, look what that monster did to the Nines! It barely even slowed to kill them. Oh, and we have to bring it in alive? How exactly are we supposed to do that _safely?_ "

Zorome felt his partner's concern across the neural link. He didn't share in such a feeling however. "We do what we have always done, Miku. We fight, and we win. Seriously, how many times have we gone up against impossible odds _and_ walked away victorious?"

"I see where you're going with this, but we don't have Zero Tsu or Hiro with us. Without Strelizia, do you really think we can take this thing on?"

Zorome took a deep breath, gathering what little patience he had in order to reassure his partner and assuage her worries. He cared for her, deeper than he would ever admit aloud. But, he couldn't have her unfocused for this fight. He had long ago learned his lesson about syncing with his partner.

"Honestly Miku, I don't know. I never know if we are going to come out unscathed. I never know if we are all going to come home alive and safe. But, I know I can make a difference. If I give the hardest I got, then everyone has a chance. That's the way I see it at least."

"Wow… that was profoundly deep for you Zorome. I guess you're right. Maybe you're not as dimwitted as I thought." She didn't say any more. They continued in silence, following their squad- their _family-_ into an unknowable and possibly fatal situation. It had a way of sobering their thoughts.

"Hey," Zorome broke the silence, "did you just call me a dimwit!?"

Miku simply smirked and ignored him.

High above the city flew Chlorophytum. From her vantage point did she keep Ichigo and Goro appraised of the situation, her pilots' keen eyes reporting all that they saw. But, her stamen had become a bit preoccupied by the sight before him. He was not to blame though, for the sight truly was marvelous. Marvelous and endless was the city, seemingly forged out of the dreams of an over-imaginative child. Futoshi had never seen anything like it and was _enraptured_ by it all. He could see _everything_! And it was all so incredible, so fantastic, so unbelievable to a child such as he. It made him begin to wonder just what else might await him in the world, what new and exciting places he had yet to lay eyes upon. He could only begin to imagine them. He had a sudden urge to leave all of this fighting behind and just sail through endless skies as he sought new vistas. And, for the first time in a long time, he completely forgot about food. For what was food when compared to unbound freedom? He relaxed into his seat, forgetting for the moment his task. "I could get used to this sight." He whispered to himself. Ikuno's voice pulled him back from his revelry.

"Delphinium, we have eyes on the target. The Klaxosaur is just ahead of your position. It's stopped at intersection WD-09. Should we engage?"

"That's a negative, Chlorophytum. Remain in the air and allow us to engage from the ground. We will signal you when to strike."

"Copy that, lead. Be advised our energy reserves are at 59% and dropping fast."

"Roger that. Argentea, did you get any of that?"

"Yeah, we heard it alright. It means it's fighting time, right Miku?"

They could all hear the excitement within Zorome's voice. Miku's voice held no less amount either.

"Hell yeah it does! What's the plan, lead?"

"Delphinium will engage the enemy with Genista in support. Once we have its attention, Argentea and Chlorophytum will strike in a synchronized attack from its rear and above. Until I give the order though, stay _back_."

With the orders given and received, Delphinium's parasites began to mentally prepare for what was sure to be one of their most difficult fights. The timing had to be perfect. Fortunately, all they had to do was delay it and defend themselves. Considering what had happened to the Nines though it was far easier said than done.

Delphinium turned the corner of the street that led into the intersection. There it was. She raised her blades as the thing's head snapped instantly in herr direction. The Klaxosaur let out a roar, that awful screech unique to its kind. Only this one sounded more... human, than could possibly be. It almost sounded emotional, not some feral beast's roar. They had little time to ponder this as it turned its armored bulk and charged, quicker than anything that dense in appearance should be able to do.

Delphinium raised their own blades, crossing them in front of them before charging off to meet the monstrous creature with a charge of their own. They struck out with the long blades and the two foes clashed in the light of a dying city.


	4. Chapter 4: City Clash

Happy winter solstice to all of you! This is chapter 4.2 and contains even _more_ updates.

* * *

 **Chp.4**

 **City Clash**

Hiro pulled hard on the controls, yanking the nose of the gunship skywards. The clouded sky completely consumed his view, the clouds pregnant with rain and fueled by columns of inky, black smoke that rose from the shattered earth. He ascended for almost a full minute before he eased up on the controls, leveling the vehicle out until he could cruise comfortably and see the ground stretch out before him.

An awesome scene of death and destruction played out before him, horrifying in its immensity and savagery. Down upon the plains, just beyond any plantations' maximum firing range, a fierce battle took place. Scores of parasites fell by the minute as thousands upon thousands of Klaxosaurs swarmed them. Their sheer numbers were their most powerful asset as the Parasite Corps drowned in a tide of screeching monsters. Hiro had never seen such numbers of... anything really. He had never even seen this many number of humans in one place, and humans were far smaller than these things, despite the majority being mere Conrad classification.

Explosions dotted the front of the swarm, the Klaxosaurs entering the range of Plantation 26's defensive emplacements, but it wasn't enough to stem the tide and the right flank of humanity crumbled beneath the onslaught of screeching, bio-mechanical horrors. He felt fear's icy touch travel up his spine, raising the hairs on the back of his neck. His squad was within that plantation, most likely fighting for their very lives. But, he was powerless to help them.

Unless, unless, unless, _unless_ he could pilot Strelizia. Alongside Zero Tsu, he could do anything. He could win this battle with her by his side. Save his friends and fellow parasites with her help. He could be free with her. And that was... something truly special.

His thoughts drifted to Zero Tsu, and the gunship inevitably followed, listing lazily in the air until Hiro corrected it with a frenzied overreaction that saw the vehicle weave madly through the air.

 _This damn vehicle flies like a rock_ , he mused. It was degrading to pilot the awesome power of a Franxx and then be relegated to this crude thing. When he piloted Strelizia with Zero Tsu he felt as one with not only her, but with the machine itself. Strelizia was an extension of their combined will. He felt the icy wind whipping at her indomitable frame as they soared through endless skies. He felt the tremors run up along Strelizia's arm as Zero Tsu struck out with her spear. The pattering of warm blood against their shared metal skin as they gutted another monster. Compared to such sensations the gunship was a silent tomb. It held a stagnant cold within its cockpit, the sensation seeping into him from without. The only noise present was the roar of the arrogant engines as they stubbornly generated lift. The only sights were those that made it past the foggy windshield. It was a poor imitation of the Franxx, and to experience it was practically torture to one that had known so much better.

His attention returned to the battlefield as he sought her out. His Zero Tsu was down there, fighting like the savage- but strong- girl she was. He found that beautiful. So _very_ beautiful. He would find her, and he would stand with her as he once had. His eyes scanned the battlefield, but he concentrated on the areas where the Klaxosaurs had swarmed the hardest. Those pockets of abominations were the most likely areas she was located. Her desire to kill Klaxosaurs bordered on the obsession, and now he knew why. Hell, now he _understood_ why.

His heart leapt and his eyes widened. An orange flash had caught his attention. Sure enough, the flash was the light, reflecting off the tail of an ivory blur that sped through the melee, rending with jaws and tearing with claws as she murdered her way through the throng.

Hiro gunned the engines and dipped the nose, accelerating far faster than was safely recommended. The ground grew alarmingly quickly within the windshield, but so did she. Her red trim became visible beneath the grime and blood. Her crimson eyes focused on target after target, kill after kill as she wove through the combatants. She hadn't gone mad though, not yet. She still avoided harming her allies, but for how long that would last Hiro couldn't say. He had to get to her. But how?

His answer would be delayed however as the earth cracked beneath the hordes of screeching monsters. A vast abyss opened from below, sending combatants from both sides flailing helplessly into the dark. A head emerged, spearing from the darkness as if borne from it. Massive and angular in structure, like the ancient sharks- now extinct- that had once ruled the vast oceans of old Earth. Two sets of four eyes stared unblinkingly on either side of the head. The neck followed, thick and armored like an aquatic reptile. The torso was even more massive, as bio-mechanical muscles were weighted down by thick plates of onyx armor. A jagged ridge of spines ran down the creature's long back, arcs of lightning zapping across the uneven blades. Six massive, feature-less legs, thick and round like tree stumps, stomped onto the ground, propelling the creatures bulk out of the trench it had come from. It fully cleared its womb in moments, several solid steps dragging it free from the stiffening confines, a long thick tail trailing behind it. It reared its head upwards and let loose an ear-shattering roar before it advanced, heading straight for Plantation 26.

Bright explosions dotted the Klaxosaur's armored hide as the defenders responded to the Gutenberg class threat. The weapons wouldn't be enough, its hide far too thick for conventional weaponry. The creature approached, not even bothering to slow under the immense barrage of fire. Franxx units were simply crushed beneath the creature's bulk as they scattered before it- they were far too small to be noticed by such an immense creature.

A single squad- Hiro didn't know which- stood valiantly against the creature, skirting around the creature's feet and launching strike after strike against it. He could see flashes of blue as they scored hits, but the beast did not slow. Their resistance ended when the creature marched stoically onwards, leaving them isolated and surrounded by its lesser kin. They fought until they were overwhelmed by the horde.

The creature plowed into the plantation- head first- and the metal buckled beneath the brute's ramming assault. The steel frame crumpled, metal plates tearing like paper as the monster barely slowed. And then he caught sight of her.

On the edge of the destructive spectacle she traveled. Her ivory form sprinting low to the ground and parallel to the Gutenberg class, heading straight for the Plantation's gaping hanger, which was made minuscule by the wound torn open only a short distance away. She disappeared within. He found that strange. Zero Tsu wasn't one to ignore such a blatant challenge. Whenever they rode together she had always sought the largest, most dangerous opponent they could find. He often indulged such whims, letting the reigns loose a little, but only because Strelizia was often the only Franxx capable of killing such an opponent.

Hiro had little choice left to him. He gunned the engines and flew low to the ground, dodging projectiles from both sides as often as his inexperience took him off course. The battle was escalating now that the Gutenberg class had been revealed. Both sides were pouring reinforcements into the increasingly chaotic battle as well. The battle lines, so well-defined before, had begun to collapse as the Klaxosaurs pressed their initiative, capitalizing upon the Gutenberg's unexpected appearance.

He was running out of time. He had to get to Zero Tsu soon. He would find out how to approach her when the time came.

Hiro flew into the darkness of the hangar, following his partner to whatever fate awaited them both.

* * *

Delphinium was thrown back by the monster's strength, sailing backwards along the street. Her parasites managed to pull off a desperate backflip just in time to kill their momentum and land them on their feet, blades spearing out from their flanks.

"Damn this thing! Why won't you just die!?" Goro yelled in frustration, voice booming from the external speakers.

The Klaxosaur roared in reply, bestial and inhuman as possible. It had barely even slowed after it had pushed them away. The creature's momentum was unstoppable. Its strength seemingly endless. Its speed nigh-unreachable. But, they had to try. They had to fight. That was all that mattered. It was all that _ever_ mattered. They had to protect. Not just the adults, or Papa, but each other. None of them could die. Ichigo couldn't let that happen. She couldn't lose one of her family.

Delphinium gripped her blades tightly and brought them into a cross guard as she charged the enemy. Thrusters roared, propelling her forward to clash once more with the foe. At the final moment, she twisted dynamically within the air, paired-blades swinging in a dual-strike, bearing down upon the creature's right flank.

"Yes!" Delphinium cheered as her blades bit into the Klaxosaur's side, sinking deep into the dark 'flesh' that lurked beneath azure-hued plates. Her satisfaction was short lived however as the creature looped an arm around her embedded weapons, locking the blades to its body. It surged forward them, throwing a heavily armored shoulder into Delphinium.

Delphinium was hurled back by the blow, Ichigo barely managing to will her mechanical fingers to keep a hold of one of the blades. Its twin was abandoned within the Klaxosaur's torso as they were tossed back by the beast. Goro yanked upon the controls and narrowly avoided crashing into a building. He pulled hard again and sent Delphinium sliding back along the street, maneuvering thrusters screaming as he put some distance between them and the monster.

Delphinium had landed what should have been a mortal to any humanoid, but it was far too shallow to reach the core let alone disable the creature. The Klaxosaur wrapped its claws around the shaft of the weapon that extended far beyond the blades themselves. It tore the weapon free of its body, a tide of blackish-blue blood fountained out from the deep slice. The parasites watched in mounting horror as the Klaxosaur's flesh re-knit itself before their very eyes, the terrible wound closing and rippling in revolting fashion until nothing remained of their desperate assault but their own memories.

The monster reversed its grip upon the blade and held Delphinium's weapon out before it, both hands wrapping tightly around it. The Klaxosaur examined the weapon within its hands, turning it this way and that way. It moved its head around the weapon, occasionally moving closer to sniff it. The creature suddenly raised the weapon above its head and brought it down in a swift motion. The middle of the weapon cracked upon its knee, shattering into two halves. The creature discarded the un-bladed half, and twirled the freshly improvised short-blade within one hand, flourishing it between surprisingly dexterous fingers. The creature transitioned from this exquisite and excessive display of skill and struck a taunting pose, the blade held out before it in one hand, angling it until sapphire eyes peered down the blade's length at Delphinium.

"Uh, Ichigo... did it just...is it using our... what the... what is this thing?"

Ichigo had no idea how to reply to Goro. She was still trying to comprehend the Klaxosaur's actions. From beast to the imitation of man in seconds. Truly this was a strange foe. This entire situation was unprecedented as well. No Klaxosaur had ever done, well... _this_. Whatever 'this' was. She could understand now why they had been ordered to take it alive, but if it was this unique was such an order even possible? She made her decision in that instant. The doctor wasn't here. The APE higher ups weren't here. Her team was.

"Everyone, listen up. When you strike, aim to kill. I don't care what our orders are, I'll take the blame for any consequences. Kill this thing, don't try to subdue it. That's my order. Genista, prep a round to fire on my mark."

Delphinium didn't wait for any acknowledgment. She boosted down the street as quickly as possible, thrusters firing madly. Her remaining blade was gripped tightly within one hand whilst the other arm was held before her, shielding her cockpit in the same manner one would shield their eyes from the sun. If it granted them victory, then Ichigo wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice a limb or two. A Franxx could always be repaired. It was just a machine after all. Unlike the fragile bodies held within.

The Klaxosaur charged to meet them, as she had anticipated it would. The creature swung the blade at Delphinium as she neared it. Delphinium pushed off the ground before they could connect and, assisted by her thrusters, cleared the Klaxosaur in a single, overhead bound that saw the beast's strike cleave through empty air. She turned in mid-air, angling to exploit the enemy's mistake, but noticed that the foe was already compensating, its bulk turning with supernatural ease to meet her attack. That was the moment that Ichigo gave the order.

"Mark!"

Genista had already lined up a perfect shot, tracking Delphinium as the intended target. When Delphinium had made her gambit and leaped, Genista's parasites had stopped tracking and instead simply placed a mechanical finger upon the trigger. Targeting cross-hairs sprang into life across the internal viewing screen, overlapping upon the Klaxosaur. Mitsuru grinned as they flashed red, confirming a stable lock-on and his mind sent a subconscious pulse to his linked partner, confirming the fire order. Half a nanosecond later, Kokoro willed Genista to fire.

A single shot was ejected from the barrel. The magma-based energy round hurtled through the air, screaming as it burned away the oxygen in its path. It impacted against the Klaxosaur's body and detonated, fire engulfing the monster. For an entire city block, windows shattered as they met the unleashed pressure wave. Ground vehicles, abandoned by their owners during the hasty evacuation, were thrown about like child's toys. The sound of the explosion proper could be heard from the other side of the kilometers-wide plantation.

By the time the round had made its impact, Delphinium had landed gracefully behind the Klaxosaur. She crouched low to absorb the impact of her tumble. With knees bent beneath her, she speared the remaining blade forward as she braced with her back leg for the final impact.

The Klaxosaur was hurtled back by the explosion, flailing about through the air like a rag-doll. It was painfully impaled from behind by the waiting Delphinium, her magma blade spearing straight through the creature's armored back and cracking easily through the contoured carapace upon the beat's chest. Delphinium's blade was slathered in dark-blue blood that crackled and popped as the powered weapon burned it all away. The blade had clearly passed right through where the core should have been.

The Klaxosaur twitched and spasmed upon the blade, but it did not slump into death. Instead, one of its claws reached up and grasped the impalement. The magnetic fields that kept the energy bound within the magma blade conflicted with whatever power flowed along the Klaxosaur's own claws, binding the two weapon systems together temporarily as well as making any attempt to disengage the weapons a potentially lethal option for either participant. For all intents and purposes though, the creature was stuck, immobilized by Delphinium's well-executed maneuvering.

Ichigo grinned as her plan had worked to near-perfection. She would have preferred it to die, but she was willing to work with what she could get.

"Well done, Goro! Excellent handl-AGGGHHH!" Ichigo screamed aloud as pain flared up her thigh, static distortions spreading across Delphinium's face as the neural link threatened to dissolve due to desynchronization, but Ichigo willed herself back into the metal shell. Ichigo couldn't let Delphinium go free. The mission wasn't over yet. She clamped her will over the pain, burying it for later.

Delphinium looked down at her thigh and- sure enough- the Klaxosaur had managed to reverse its grip upon the stolen blade. It had then stabbed it backwards, piercing through her thigh and causing much pain- one last, desperate effort to wound its enemy. A wasted one, Ichigo thought.

Delphinium reached down with her remaining hand. Fingers clasped the creature's wrist tightly, holding it to her form and leaving it horribly exposed.

"Argentea! Go for the head. **Now**!"

Far above the embattled combatants, atop a solidly constructed roof, crouched a lone Franxx. Her orange claws were angled downwards, hanging off the edge of the roof. Digital eyes watched every move of the two below it, ready to pounce at her leader's word. And as soon as it was given, Argentea did just that.

Zorome leaned into the controls and tilted them towards the edge. Their immense size made the first few moments of their forward-dive seem agonizingly slow. The Franxx straightened as they cleared it though and speared towards the earth, hands thrust forward as claws crackled with power. The compact, but incredibly powerful, thruster mounted upon their rear fired and propelled them through the air, dead set on impacting with the impaled- and quite vulnerable- Klaxosaur.

"Hold him steady!"

Argentea's parasites yelled triumphantly as they drew their right arm back, claws preparing to strike into the Klaxosaur's head. A heartbeat to impact, the creature reacted with that preternatural speed it had utilized so advantageously many times before. Its bestial snout turned towards the descending claw and opened wide, before clamping shut with a resounding clash of metal on metal. Argentea's claw stuck fast within the creature's solid jaws, unable to pull free from the deadly bite. Their momentum carried them forward and all three combatants were forced back down the street. It was a miracle in itself that they all managed to keep their footing.

"Hey! What the _hell_ is this!?"

Miku raised their other claw and stabbed it swiftly down, aiming to finish the monster by impaling the skull. "Take that you bastard!" The creature awkwardly shifted its torso just in time and the strike moved past its head and sliced into the gap between shoulder plate and neck, piercing the hidden flesh beneath. It moved its head back and caught Argentea's wrist between skull and shoulder, effectively immobilizing Argentea.

The parasites tried to force their claw down the monster's gullet, but it was impossible. It had timed the bite perfectly, and its jaw was far more powerful than any momentum they could create. Their jets fired in futility as they tried to defy its abnormal strength.

"Why. Won't. You. Just! _Die!_?" Zorome screamed from within Argentea. He was beyond frustrated at this thing now. It was dangerous. It was faster than them. It was stronger than any of them. And. It. Just. Wouldn't. Die. He pulled back on the controls, seeking to dislodge them from their quarry. But, their left hand was struck far too deep into the Klaxosaur's flesh. Besides, Argentea was designed to engage the enemy as quick as possible and leave nothing standing, not for... whatever this situation had turned into.

"Well, what do we do now?" Goro asked, genuine confusion within his voice. If Delphinium pulled back it would gift the Klaxosaur its free hand, which it would inevitably use to finish the immobilized Argentea. Clearly not an option. Also, Genista couldn't fire from where she was without hitting either Franxx. And Chlorophytum suffered a similar problem. Goro had an idea though.

"Genista, come to us. Quickly! Place the barrel of your cannon directly on the Klaxosaur and fire."

Genista was already gliding down the street, b-lining it for the entangled combatants. Kokoro cycled a round in as they neared. She still felt that she had the need to warn them of the dangers of such a shot. "I don't know how effective the Klaxosaur's internals will be at dampening the shot when it detonates within it. Either one of you might lose an arm! Or possibly even-"

"That's fine, Kokoro. Delphinium lost an arm in the Garden, and all I received was some hospital time and a sore arm. If it means taking this thing down, I'm willing to pay such a price."

Delphinium looked at Argentea. The brightly colored Franxx nodded her head, accepting the possibility that her pistil may receive similar injury as well. But, it was worth it to finish this fight. The price to continue fighting the Klaxosaur was beginning to become too high.

A low growl issued from the Klaxosaur's mouth, attracting Argentea's attention. Sapphire eyes, flickering in flashes of crimson fury, gazed back at them. A tremor ran up through their captured arm, the beast beginning to shake violently. The creature's left hand, despite Delphinium's firm grip upon its wrist, slowly began to pull itself upwards, abandoning the blade currently lodged within the Franxx's thigh. Gears ground loudly within their arm as they struggled to halt the beast from freeing itself, but machinery could only be expected to do so much before it gave out.

"Argentea! Disengage! **NOW**! Genista, double-time it!" Panic entered Ichigo's voice, her voice practically shrieking across the comm-net.

* * *

Zorome flinched as the tiny girl's shrill voice pierced through the cockpit. _Damnit_ , she was annoying sometimes. He pulled hard on the controls, but no amount of physical strength could pull them free. His adrenal glands pumped his system full of that reality-altering nectar. Time slowed to a crawl as the world was thrown into excruciatingly sharp detail. He could see the monster's clawed hand, rising inevitably towards them.

Zorome's mind raced as he took stock of the situation. They were immobilized and would soon be at the mercy of an inhuman foe. They could do nothing to further aid their allies- at least, not from here. So, what was he to do? His mind raced to find the answer, eventually finding one; though it was not ideal. They had to save themselves. Live to fight another day; although such a decision rankled against Zorome's pride. In the end, he decided that protecting his partner should be his priority.

He had to protect Miku, at any cost. His hand hovered briefly over the master controls. He could eject her, saving her for the moment, but that would leave him behind. Stamen didn't have an ejection option either. They won or they went down with their Franxx. No other option. Ejecting Miku would also leave her vulnerable mere moments from now once the creature freed itself, and he would be utterly powerless to intervene. As long as that thing lived they were all in danger though. He finally made a decision and entered a code upon the stamen's master control console. A message flashed across the screen.

 _DISENGAGE PRIMARY MANIPULATORS. Y/N?_

He hesitated. He had never actually done this before; nor had he ever heard of it performed by another parasite. It was insanity to even contemplate such an action within a combat zone, not to mention it was punishable by the Parasite Code laid down by Papa, should it be seen as a cowardly action. Zorome prayed to Papa that he would see the logic in his decision. He entered his response.

 _Y._

 _COMMAND CONFIRMED. BRACE FOR EXPLOSIVE DISENGAGEMENT._

An alarm briefly flared and the internal running lights flashed bright crimson. An automated voice, bereft of tone, blared loudly within the cockpit. He flinched in pain as his ears were assaulted.

" **DISENGAGING PRIMARY MANIPULATORS. BRACE FOR EXPLOSIVE FORCE**."

 _Yeah, no shit_. He had never actually thought it would come to this. He had just manually detached the arms to his Franxx, leaving the limbs behind so as to save the rest of the unit and its parasites. As the stamen of Argentea, he possessed the ability to decide such factors without consent from his pistil. She would have stayed, he knew it within his heart. She would have died as well, he knew it in his head.

"Hey! Zorome! What the hell did you do!? I can't feel my arms!"

Oh, that was a relief. He had been told the disengagement process would begin after the neural net was withdrawn from the pistol's arms, but he had never actually been able to test the process- for obvious reasons. Thankfully, it seemed that no harm would come to Miku, despite what was about to occur.

Along the Franxx's arms, several orange puffs exploded outwards in a synchronized manner. The explosions ringed the shoulders, severing the arms from the body in a controlled, self-mutilation. Zorome's stomach lurched within him as they fell back, suddenly free from the locking embrace of the creature.

"What I had to do, Miku!" He yelled as he pulled hard on the controls, sending them reeling back and away from the creature. They needed distance now, especially since they were unarmed. Literally. He guided them back along the street, the distance growing ever larger.

"We can't just run! We're abounding our squad! Turn us around. _**NOW!** "_

Zorome flinched as her voice shrieked within the confined cockpit. By Papa's robes girls were loud. And his ears! Oh, they were going to be done for after this fight. At least he wouldn't need to listen to Miku scold him for his minor- incredibly minuscule really- mistakes.

"Don't worry, Miku, we just need some distance. And besides, I didn't see _you_ offering any advice!"

"My advice? _My advice?!_ My advice would have been to keep the damn arms! What the hell are we supposed to do now?!"

He was quiet for a moment as he thought about that. If he was being honest, he hadn't thought about what would happen _after_ they disengaged. Oh, he was going to get sooooooo much shit for this one.

"We can... kick it." He said, completely absent of enthusiasm.

"Kick it. _Kick_ it?" Miku responded dryly. "Suuure. Let's go spiraling into combat against a Klaxosaur armed with only our feet!" Sarcasm dripped from her tactical suggestion.

"Chlorophytum does it all the time!"

"They have blades on their feet! What do we have? **_NOTHING_!"**

"Hah! Wrong! We have Zorome the Great! How could we possibly lose with an asset like that?"

Argentea would have face-palmed had she been able to. Her pistil had to settle for sighing though.

Miku buried her rage at Zorome deep within herself, letting it simmer and build it's potential until it could be unleashed. She would let him have it later, oh yes she would. But, they had far more pressing concerns. The Klaxosaur that had just thrown Delphinium free was a major one.

* * *

Ichigo watched in unbelievable relief as Argentea was able to make her escape. _Her friends were alive_. _Her friends had escaped!_ She was so relieved she almost forgot about the Klaxosaur. Fortunately, it was polite enough to remind them of its wretched existence.

With no target in front of it anymore the Klaxosaur suddenly had a unique opportunity. It rushed to exploit the opening its enemy had been so kind to present it. Using Delphinium's own strength against her, the Klaxosaur reversed its slowly reaching arm and successfully delivered a brutal elbow backwards straight into her abdominal area.

Delphinium doubled over, hands clutching at her stomach. Ichigo writhed in neural-sympathetic agony. _Holy hell, that had hurt._ Her entire stomach was on fire, nerve endings singing in agony. She thought losing an arm had hurt, but an elbow to the gut had felt so much worse. _How was that even possible?_

Ikuno screaming her name across the comm channel brought her awareness back just in time to roll to the side, dodging an overhead smash from the Klaxosaur's arms. Pieces of the street flew like shrapnel from an artillery strike as the force behind the blow shattered the very ground they had been on mere moments before. They would have died had she hesitated a moment longer.

 _Stupid. Stupid. Stupid Ichigo! How can you be so careless?_ She felt tears well up within her eyes; though these had little to do with any physical pain. This day was becoming more and more exhausting, taxing her mental endurance. If she didn't rest soon, she would break. And if she broke, someone could die. Her family could- **No**! She crushed such thoughts. Not now. Not now! Not _**EVER**_!

The Klaxosaur hurtled itself at them, an incoherent scream of madness tearing from that gaping maw. Ichigo heard the roar of jets behind them and ducked low before rolling to the side of the street, though this was more from instinct than design.

Chlorophytum sailed over them, firing her dual-energy weapons in a pavement-stripping strafing run. Energy blasts impacted along the street, stitching a line down the street. Bright blasts of light sparked iridescently against the Klaxosaur's armored hide, halting it dead in its tracks. The creature reared its ugly head to the sky and screamed horrifically, baleful red eyes tracking Chlorophytum as she passed high overhead. Although Ichigo had seen the monster take the shots, its deep blue armor showed only small burns and scratches, the damage little more than a cosmetic blemish. The energy had been dissipated against its armor. Only bladed weapons seemed to do any lasting damage. Their own blade, which still protruded belligerently from the monster's chest, testified to this.

Speaking of blades, where was the other one? Ichigo wondered as she tried to raise Delphinium from their crouched position. Pain speared through her leg and she crashed back down to the street. _Oh, right._ It was speared through her thigh. Well, at least it was close at hand.

Metal fingers encircled the weapon's broken handle. Delphinium looked up at their assailant. Thankfully, the primitive creature had become distracted by Chlorophytum's strafing run and was focused on chasing them down the street in the opposite direction. Goro briefly wondered why something so easily distracted was so powerful. It was clearly intelligent, owing to its clear understanding of tactics and the earlier acquisition of their own weapon. So, why was it acting like a rabid beast now? Without reason or control. Had the injury they inflicted upon it driven it to madness? Could such a monstrosity ever be considered sane in the first place?

"Are you ready, Ichigo? This is going to hurt..." Goro asked his partner as they prepped to remove the blade from Delphinium's thigh. It was entirely possible that he cared a little too much about her, even going so far as to confess his love for her in a horribly awkward move that one time. At the time of his confession, he had felt completely justified in letting her know his true feelings for her- even if she had not admitted to sharing such feelings. That was life, he thought. At least she knew, and it least she understood what she meant to him. That was all he could ever ask for.

"I know it will. Just… do it." She grit her teeth, ready for more pain. That seemed to be the one constant today, that and her being caught completely off guard. They pulled together, dragging the weapon free- slowly, at least at first. She could feel Goro's hesitation. _No, rip it out already!_ _It's like a band-aid, just do it!_ Agonizing moments slogged by as they worked the blade from the deep wound, and then suddenly it tore free. A gush of processed magma energy and coolant splattered out, squirting free from the open wound. This was just leftover running fluids though, the breach having been sealed off moments after it had occurred. They had no chance of energy hemorrhaging.

Delphinium tried to rise again, blade shaking within her quivering grip. Only Ichigo's murderous intent kept the blade secure within trembling fingers. Too many subsystems had been damaged in the fight though and the fingers had begun to twitch at random intervals, dictated only by misfiring bio-mechanical neural relays. Delphinium's face blanked as the neural connection failed, Ichigo's numbers plummeting as pain spiked through the link, the strain far too much for her.

Delphinium crashed into a kneeling position.

" **Ichigo!** Are you alright?"

The interior went dark as the Franxx registered a disconnection, the 360-degree visual feed winking out and leaving them blind to the outside world. The lights dimmed in a pointless effort to preserve energy, a safety precaution that impeded their ability to see anything with actual clarity more than it conserved energy. Goro cursed whatever thrifty technician had thought of that wondrous design flaw. He rushed to Ichigo's side as she slumped drunkenly, frail body sliding free from the pistil's cradle. He caught her in his arms before she could impact on the hard metal deck.

"Ichigo!" He whispered harshly, aware of the echo his voice would create within the tiny area should he speak any louder. " _Ichigo!_ " He said more forcefully again as she didn't respond immediately. For once, his voice was devoid of his usual calmness, concern for the love of his life painting it with fear. His eyes widened as she moaned. Slowly, her eyelids fluttered open. His chest resumed its gentle rise and fall as he began breathing again. He hadn't even noticed he had stopped.

"I'm fine, Goro." She whispered, her eyes looking slowly around the cockpit, as if waking from a deep slumber. She felt far more exhausted than she ever had before. She tried to rise, hand stretching towards the cradle's edge. She had to get back into the fight. Goro held her back though, not that he really needed to try. Her body was weak and she had been pushed far past exhaustion as Delphinium's pistil.

With a horrible sense of guilt she wished Hiro was there, holding her tight to his chest, instead of Goro. She felt his dedication to her was entirely unjust. It felt like a betrayal to him everytime she so much as looked at Hiro. But every time she looked at Hiro she felt like the world made sense. Like the weight of the world wasn't her's alone to bear. She couldn't stem her love for him. Was she a monster for thinking that? Was she a monster for casting Goro to the side? She was so selfish at times. Was this how Hiro had seen Zero Tsu?

"No, you're not. Ichigo, you need medical attention."

Her heart wrenched to the side. _Damn him_. Why did he have to be so caring? Why did he have to make it so hard? Couldn't they just be friends? _I'm so selfish_ , she mentally berated herself once more.

"No, I don't. Just help me up. Once I'm in the cradle I'll be fine."

"Ichigo." His voice was calm again. "You're bleeding." He said matter of factually. "I can't let you link up again. You may die."

 _So what? Why do you care so much?_ She wished to ask him, but only because she sought another answer to the question that she already knew his answer to, but she wouldn't- or couldn't- possibly accept such an answer.

Ichigo felt the blood now, a warm trickle leaking from her nose and seeping into her lips. The rich taste of copper flooded her mouth, rich and overwhelming with its intense, metallic flavor. She had really hoped it was just drool, but she had to face the reality of the situation. This fight might very well be her last ride in a Franxx. But that was only a possibility, and she knew one thing for certain.

"If I don't fight this thing, we _will_ die."

Goro was silent. He had already reached the same conclusion moments before. That didn't mean he had to like it. He was just as stubborn as her sometimes.

She smiled softly and his heart leapt at such a sight, despite their rather desperate situation. "Besides, you get to do stupid stuff like this all the time. Don't you think it's my turn to do something stupid for a change?"

He couldn't help but chuckle, his tension flowing out of him as quickly as it had come. His calm demeanor returned along with some of his more humorous wit.

"That was one time. Are you ever going to let it go?"

"Not as long as we ride together. Now, help me up, that's an order. We got a Klaxosaur to kill."

"We're co-leaders, you can't give me orders." He said rather smugly.

"Oh, is that true now?" Her voice hardened to steel, unyielding in its intensity. She stared at him, cradled within his arms, daring him to challenge her authority. After a moment of the intense stand-off both parasites began to break, their faces splitting into smiles as they began to chuckle. Lighthearted laughter filled the claustrophobic-inducing cockpit, bouncing off the oppressive walls.

"Aye aye, Ma'am," Goro replied through his laughter. Both parasites still chuckled as he helped her back to her cradle.

Delphinium's eyes opened once more, gazing out and onto the destroyed street. The parasites noted the significant increase in rubble and the daunting decrease in working lights, both within buildings and without. The parasites noticed as well the lack of a certain blue bastard though.

 _Where had it gone?_

Looking skyward, they realized Chlorophytum was absent as well. They had been gone for perhaps a minute, maybe two at the most. What had happened? The measured sound of heavy steps behind them alerted them to an approaching entity. Delphinium pivoted as gracefully as possible- Ichigo ignoring the flare of pain- and they swept the blade up in one hand. They brought it up, ready to fight to their last if need be.

Genista flinched backwards from Delphinium's overly aggressive response. Her canon was held before her, though it had not been brought to bear in order to fire, but to shield them from Delphinium's madness. It was a purely instinctive reaction.

"Woah! Watch it guys, it's just us!" Kokoro's sweet, innocent voice filtered across the street. Not even the harsh mechanical filters of the Franxx could corrupt such purity.

"Oh. So it is." The blade lowered and Delphinium sagged, dropping onto her uninjured leg. Ichigo was unable to withstand the flaring pain for long as Delphinium's digital face twisted in sympathy. "Sorry for that. What happened? Where's Chlorophytum?"

"We saw you disconnect and we feared the worst. We rushed to help, but fortunately you didn't need it. As for Chlorophytum, well, we don't really know. The Klaxosaur went after them. Argentea went in pursuit of both; though they have yet to return as well." Genista nodded her head at a jagged, diagonal line of destruction carved across several buildings. Shattered glass and masonry spilled across the street below. "Apparently it can climb really well. Mitsuru wanted to shoot it, but I didn't want to hit the buildings. Besides, it isn't like it can actually reach Chlorophytum."

Delphinium nodded as Kokoro made the report. It was good that Chlorophytum was still airborne. Still, they had to find the creature again, or so it would seem. Goro opened a channel to Chlorophytum, seeking an answer to their location.

"Chlorophytum, Chlorophytum, this is Delphinium. What's your current position? Over."

Silence answered his words. Fantastic. It was most likely that they had merely traveled too far for the signal to reach. At least, that's what Ichigo sincerely hoped was the cause for the radio silence. Far more sinister thoughts tugged at the edge of her mind, but she refused to acknowledge such poison.

Ichigo jumped within her cradle as she felt an arm reach under Delphinium's own, lifting them from their injured kneeling position. It was only Genista though, lending aid to their fellow Franxx. Ichigo forced herself to relax. She couldn't fight when she was this nervous. She forced herself to take several slow breaths.

With deliberate slowness, Delphinium was hauled to her feet, but still she couldn't stand for long, not as she was. Her leg was virtually dead below the wound, running lights dark from severed circuits and cut power lines and she leaned heavily upon Genista, arm draped around her comrade's shoulders as the dead weight of her leg dragged behind her. Ichigo believed rapid movement would be possible with thruster assistance, but no fancy maneuvers would be possible.

"Argentea, Argentea, this is Delphinium. Please respond, over." Ichigo attempted to raise Miku or Zorome, becoming increasingly concerned when neither parasite responded. After a moment, the net crackled and Miku's voice came over, albeit distorted and heavily laden with static.

"We he-... in pursuit of t-... Chloroph-... -ngaged the enemy... -ing your way."

Goro struggled to make out the report, the interference scrambling it to become nearly unrecognizable as speech. What he could infer from the broken words though painted a poor picture. It sounded like Chlorophytum had engaged the Klaxosaur and was headed their way. He chose to share this theory with Ichigo.

"That can't be good, but at least Ikuno and Futoshi are still alive. Why are they engaged though? Did they land?"

Goro shrugged his shoulders before remembering that Ichigo couldn't possibly see such a gesture. "I don't know, but I'm assuming we will find out soon enough. Genista, get ready to blast the target. We will be fine on our own." He added, knowing full well that Kokoro wouldn't just leave them as they were without actual orders.

Mitsuru understood though and pulled Genista away from them, letting them lean against a building for support. They swung the canon into position, legs bracing in a firing stance. Fire supports slammed down behind their feet, bracing them against the intense recoil.

The first sign of the approaching enemy was the distant roar of thrusters as Chlorophytum returned to her squad. Within seconds, the roar became a howl as the Franxx drew ever closer. But still there was no visual sign of their incoming comrade. A rooftop shattered in a cloud of dust and debris as something large struck it, the object in question rebounding off the building and hurtling into the street.

Kokoro tracked it with Genista's canon, ready to fire but holding steady as she noticed the object's true nature: a jumble of ivory limbs trimmed in violet, clashing sharply with the onyx and azure of what could only be Klaxosaur hide. The entangled combatants crashed into the ground, sending debris scattering in every direction. A cloud of dust radiated from the impact, obscuring the two combatants even further, until only a faintly-glowing, blue light could be seen emanating from the area. This luminescent glow shifted within the opaque clouds, casting wild shadows within the dust as the sounds of savage fighting drifted through the heavy atmosphere, intermixing with bestial howls and roars.

"We should go in an-" Kokoro was cut off as Chlorophytum was thrown clear from the cloud in forceful fashion. She sailed, though not under her own power, through the air for several hundred meters. Dust billowed within her wake, stirred by the gigantic, metal mass. Thrusters fired in fits of orange and Chlorophytum corrected her flight just in time, turning what could have been a disaster into a graceful disengagement. She landed with utter poise, facing her opponent.

Chlorophytum balanced her form perfectly upon a single leg, arms held out before her as they morphed into her ranged weapons. Energy blasts painted the clouds of dust around her in hues of blinding yellow, setting them ablaze with every burst. She fired indiscriminately into the dark clouds, yelling as the weapons unleashed a torrent of lethal fire. Ichigo realized then that Chlorophytum wasn't just balanced upon a single leg. She only _had_ a single leg. And still Chlorophytum fought on, unperturbed by such an ailment.

A bestial howl ripped through the air and the Klaxosaur emerged from its concealment, eyes blazing with malice. They were locked firmly upon the solitary figure firing blast after blast of energy ineffectually at its hide. It hefted a large orange blade in its clawed hands. _No, not just a blade_ , Ichigo realized. Chlorophytum's leg was being utilized as a weapon. The beast charged, a heavy roar leaving its terrible maw and a gruesome armament held tightly to its armored torso.

"ARRRGGGH!" Ikuno yelled, matching the Klaxosaur's roar in intensity if not volume.

" **No!** Ikuno _don't!_ " Delphinium reached out to pull Chlorophytum back, though she was far too distant. It was a futile gesture, and nothing more. She was powerless to intervene, disabled as she was. And Genista certainly couldn't fire without risking friendly fire.

Chlorophytum hurtled back into the fray, guns blazing with fury as her thrusters burned hot. The monster drew its hybrid weapon back like a bat, ready to strike the Franxx down. But Chlorophytum wasn't piloted by fools. The parasites worked in tandem, performing an excellently timed feint. The Franxx twisted in mid-air, diving beneath her former leg and spearing out with the remaining one, slashing into the creature's open flank as she aimed for a quick decapitation. The pilots almost pulled such a maneuver off.

Almost.

The Klaxosaur read their intent and turned, presenting its shoulder pauldron to the blade as a willing sacrifice. The orange blade bit deep into the blue carapace, cracking loudly through the battle-space as it did so, like a shattered ceramic pot. In that same instant the Klaxosaur abandoned its weapon. Its now free hands reached up with startling speed, claws grasping Chlorophytum's embedded leg. The Franxx was pulled free instantly and the beast pivoted, swinging them through the air like a rag-doll in a thruster-assisted twirl. They were slammed into a building, shattering what little glass that had survived until this point.

" **Ikuno!** " Screamed Ichigo.

Chlorophytum slumped to the ground, faceplate dull and lifeless. The beast stood proudly above the broken Franxx, claws twitching and flicking with a madman's nervousness. Its reptilian head snapped to the side; though it looked at nothing. It was merely twitching like the animal it was. The moment passed and it refocused on the fallen foe at its feet. A taloned foot slammed onto Chlorophytum's chest, pressing the machine into the ground, metal creaking beneath the pressure. It leaned downwards, reaching for the head. Claws wrapped firmly around Chlorophytum's head as the creature prepared to take another grisly trophy that day.

No. No. _No!_ **NO!** Not like _this!_ Not like the Nines! Not again. _Not again! Not them!_ Please no. Please nononononononno.

Ichigo's mind threatened to collapse at that moment. She was far too powerless to do anything to stop that monster from killing her friends. Tears streamed down her pale face, falling to splash upon the cold metal of the cradle beneath her. She couldn't handle more death. Not today.

An explosive shockwave rocked the Klaxosaur off of its victim, forcing its attention to a new foe. Genista hadn't hit it, for fear of hitting Chlorophytum, but instead had fired into the building to the side of it. To hell with damage control. It had worked though, the creature was now focused entirely upon her. And that led Genista to a brand new problem. It was focused on _her_.

The Klaxosaur didn't even deign to stop and retrieve its impromptu weapon, choosing instead to sprint down the street. It dropped to all fours, hurtling down the thoroughfare like only a mad hound could. Genista couldn't risk a miss, not with Chlorophytum still lying comatose behind it. She aimed downwards, at the street itself, and fired an explosive round.

The round dug several meters into the ground within a second, melting its way through solid concrete like it was designed to do, before it detonated with tremendous force. Genista had fired slightly ahead of the Klaxosaur- after all, it was a street. It's not like the beast could dodge in such a narrow area. The beast disappeared in a cloud of smoke and ash, though neither parasite believed they had won. Another round cycled into the chamber and they adjusted their aim, ready to fire as soon as it cleared the cloud of debris.

The Klaxosaur erupted from the cloud; though not from the expected route. Instead it sailed high above the street, boosted by its own set of powerful thrusters. It began to fall back towards Earth, losing the battle against gravity. Claws reached out, grasping for Genista. It never reached them.

A pink blur, faster than even the Klaxosaur could register, leaped from a nearby rooftop and slammed into the creature's side, pink legs pistoning outwards to deliver a monumental blow to the monster's head. The monster's controlled fall transformed into a crashing spiral as its course was forcefully redirected and it impacted into a building's upper area in a tangle of flailing limbs. The building's floors gave way before the immense weight of the creature and it collapsed through multiple floors in quick succession, the rubble cascading around and behind it, following it to the ground floor where it became buried under the shattered remnants of the floors. A heavy pall of dust drifted from the semi-collapsed building, obscuring the area.

Argentea landed as gracefully as she could without arms. She turned towards Delphinium and Genista, face offering a friendly smile.

"Did you miss us?"

Ichigo could have cried in relief. Granted she was already crying, but she hadn't expected such a last minute save. Delphinium began to drag her broken leg through the street as she approached the downed Chlorophytum. Thanks to Argentea's timely intervention, the Klaxosaur was buried beneath a pile of rubble some ways behind them, no longer blocking Squad 13 from approaching their fallen comrade. Ichigo was under no impression that the monster would stay buried for long. They had to move quickly. They had to regroup if they hoped to have any chance at winning, let alone surviving, this fight.

Fortunately, the Klaxosaur was in no rush to claw its way out. Perhaps, they had hurt it more than they had hoped? She couldn't assume such a fact though. It was dangerous to underestimate, especially when this thing was involved. Delphinium turned her head as they passed Genista, the Franxx holding steady and covering the entirety of Squad 13.

"Genista, if you see that thing poke its ugly head out of the rubble, shoot it."

* * *

"Right." Both of Genista's parasites acknowledged their leader as they swung the canon into position, lining up the next shot. They could fire another round at the rubble pile now, but then they risked setting it free. They needed time more than anything. Actually, Mitsuru wouldn't have minded it in the least if they had Strelizia by their side. Hiro and Zero Tsu would have made quick work of this damned thing.

His thoughts drifted towards Hiro, despite his best efforts to stay focused. He remembered their promise, so many years ago. The one that Hiro had forgotten. The one that he had called Hiro a liar for doing so. The broken promise that had defined his entire personality for years. But now, after seeing that it had never been Hiro's fault, what was he without that conviction? Who _was_ Mitsuru? Was he even capable of kindness, or was he a being of spite and hatred? Did he believe in piloting a Franxx in a war, his only purpose for so long, or was he simply playing a role he was cast in? He had recently begun to approach sorties with such a dispassionate interest, fighting less and less for Papa and more for those at his side. Did he even truly enjoy fighting, or had it all been just a way to compare himself with Hiro? What _was_ he without Hiro?

"Mitsuru." Kokoro's honeyed voice brought him back to reality, saving him from the invasive inquisition of his own thoughts and motivations. "Are you doing alright? You seem unusually quiet, more so than usual." Did she truly wish to know what thoughts plagued his troubled mind? It was possible, but he could see no logic in it. What was he to Kokoro? He was nothing more to her than her partner, as far as he knew. They only needed to interact with each other in order to pilot Genista. In fact, he had only spoken to her a few times outside of the Franxx. Their brief conversations had often taken place within Kokoro's greenhouse and had only really begun because of their exploration of that 'city' he had stumbled upon. He had to admit he even enjoyed such conversations, as short as they were, from time to time. She had a certain way of innocence about her and how she viewed the world. But, she was reserved and quiet around the others, preferring to listen rather than to speak her mind. When they spoke together though. she would often do most of the talking, a sharp contrast to her day-to-day manner. It was an odd sensation to have someone that he actually enjoyed just listening to. She also had a far sharper mind than he had been initially been led to believe, and she guarded such a fact well; though whether or not this was intentional was unknown to him. She wasn't just a quiet girl, like so many of the boys thought. She held a whimsical spirit within her. Mitsuru had noticed this through their plentiful, albeit mainly one-sided, conversations within the greenhouse. But such conversations had often held seeds of her true self, hidden from casual scrutiny. Like the flowers she cared for so diligently, Kokoro wasn't easily confined to a single dimension nor was she written plain for all to see- at least, according to his intuition. Like a labyrinth, she became more complex and varied the deeper one delved into her mind. He admired that, perhaps he even _liked_ it.

"I'm fine, Kokoro. I was just thinking." What could he say to her? He seriously doubted that she would understand what he was going through. He didn't even understand it himself. Why should she have to share his burden?

"About what?" She seemed genuinely concerned for his well being though.

"What happens after this? You've heard the rumor: a weapon of unimaginable power lies below the Gran Crevasse. Once we secure it for Papa, then what?" He lied to her. Truth be told, he wasn't really concerned with what would happen once the Klaxosaurs were defeated. They were parasites, and they served a purpose. The destruction of the Klaxosaurs as a race was their sworn duty. Once that purpose was gone though, they had no reason to live, but they also had no reason to die either. Most parasites would be troubled by such thoughts, but Mitsuru had long ago theorized a rational and completely logical theory as to the rest of their lives, should such an eventuality actually occur. The Franxx would probably be decommissioned and the parasites would most likely live out the remainder of their lives- peacefully- atop the plantations. Because, why wouldn't they? He was under no delusions as to what fate awaited them, unlike other particular members of his squad. Mitsuru had long ago accepted death was an inevitability, the only true friend you could rely upon to visit you. Perhaps, he should cut down on reading the poetry found within the study.

"Oh, I guess... I guess we win?" Kokoro replied with little confidence in her tone. What did happen indeed?

"Sorry, what I meant was: what happens to us? Without Klaxosaurs we serve no purpose, we have no guarantee we will survive and not be left behind by the adults." Such a line of thought would surely unsettle Kokoro, but that was better than revealing his true thoughts. Besides, they would have to face such a possibility eventually, and he had answers that he could provide to reassure her conscience. This would ultimately only serve to help her.

"I don't... I don't know. I never really thought about it. I just always assumed that we would continue to fight, until we... you know… died."

"Yes, I had assumed that as well, but now with the end of the war within sight, my mind has begun to wonder. I think I've reached a decent conclusion though. Would you like to hear it?"

"Yes, Mitsuru, please share it."

"After the Klaxosaurs are defeated, and we no longer serve a purpose, I don't believe Papa will cast us aside as many of us fear. We'll be heroes in the adult's eyes after all. The brave warriors that slew the fearsome beast." _Damn that poetry book._ "But, I don't believe we can become adults. I think that's just a fantasy at this point and the only one that still adamantly believes it otherwise is Zorome. I think we will just live atop the Plantations, as we have always done. They have no reason to stop taking care of us, and every reason to continue. I think our lives will be... peaceful, for once."

Kokoro mulled it over in her mind. When she spoke, it was truthful to her thoughts. "That doesn't sound too bad, Mitsuru. In fact, I think I would enjoy a nice, quiet life. Just spending every day doing chores, tending to flowers, and reading novels in the garden. It's a much better alternative than a battlefield." She paused for a moment, hesitating to ask. "Will you... will you still visit me in the greenhouse? I enjoy our conversations..."

She... she wanted to continue their talks? But, _why_? Why would they continue when they were no longer partners? Could it be that she thought of him as more than a partner? Perhaps even a... friend? The thought of having such a person was... difficult to imagine for Mitsuru. For so long he had pushed everyone away. But, now that didn't matter as much. It seemed such a silly thing, distancing himself for some perceived slight from Hiro. After all these years it was actually possible that he wouldn't be so alone. In fact, he was startled to find himself looking forward to exploring such a scenario. His chest tightened suddenly. Was this... fear welling up within him? No, it couldn't be. It was something else then. Something... unknown to him. But what could it be?

"I'd like to, Kokoro. I'll visit every day if you want me too. I enjoy, uhm, your company. Very much." It was an awkward delivery, but he couldn't be blamed. He had no experience whatsoever in this situation. Whatever this situation was, that is.

"Really? You mean it? Thanks, Mitsuru, it means a-," she was interrupted by a disturbance within the rubble. Both parasites noticed it at the same time. They ceased their conversation, as pleasant as it was, and switched to their combat mindset instantly.

"Delphinium, movement detected. We have seconds at best until it breaks free."

"Roger that, Genista. You are clear to engage at will. We have Chlorophytum online, but we aren't quite ready to engage. Give us as much time as you can."

"We will do our best." Genista primed their weapon, power humming through its internals as it warmed up. Targeting overlays played across their vision, displaying ranges, wind speeds, and even gravity fluctuations. Most of it was useless in such a battlefield setting, especially since timing was more important than the magnetic polarity of the target, but it was better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

They waited patiently for the Klaxosaur to rear its ugly head.

* * *

His eyes fluttered open, stars bursting before him as the world greeted his returning conscience. His head felt like it had taken up acting as a bell, such was the pain within his skull. _Oh man, what had happened_? He remembered flying, high above the city, as free as the wind. And then they had dived, swift as a raptor, aiming at their prey. He had never felt so alive! And then it had chased them! The sheer audacity of the creature was bewildering. And then it had jumped. By Papa, it had jumped high! He had not been expecting that at all. Neither had Ikuno thou-... **Ikuno!**

He sat up suddenly, head swirling from what was most likely a mild concussion. He could already smell blood in the air. He hoped it was his and not her's. He looked around the cockpit, desperately searching for his partner. He had been thrown clear of his seat, which was the most likely explanation for his bruised skull. But, Ikuno was not within the pistil's cradle. He lay next to the empty console and he reached up to the side, hauling his heavy-set frame up. He looked about the dimly lit interior, emergency lighting casting a haunting red glow about his surroundings.

 _There!_

Ikuno lay on her side, on the opposite side of the cradle. He hopped the console and approached her, practically falling to his knees in his haste. His hands stopped inches from her frail body, hesitating to close the gap. _What could he do?_ He was no medic. And certainly no doctor. He had limited first-aid training at best, but that was years ago. It would have to be enough, he decided. What other option was there?

His mind raced as he remembered the steps. _Oh shit._ What was the first one? Stop the breathing, start the bleeding? _No! Damn it! The other way!_ Stop the bleeding, start the breathing! He held a finger just below her nose. A soft current flowed in and out in a measured rhythm, in time with the gentle rise and fall of her chest. Okay, she was breathing fine. That was good. Next, stop the bleeding. Well, she didn't look to be bleeding. That was good. Right? What if it was internal? _Oh shit._ Well, he could do nothing about that. Hopefully, it wasn't a problem.

What was he supposed to do? He had no idea. He had never been in this situation before. He wasn't just responsible for his well being anymore, but his partner's as well. Sure, he had kept Kokoro safe when they had been partners, but that had been easy. It was just fighting, which he had been trained to do since day one. But now? Now he was completely on his own, and worse, someone depended on his limited skillset. What would he do? He had to think of something. _Anything!_

He took a moment to assess his options. She had been thrown clear, which meant that she may have broken bones. She was unconscious, which implied a head wound as well. Chlorophytum had lost its leg, which meant that she most definitely had some sort of nerve damage within the same area. He could do nothing about that at the moment, but knew it could be fixed given the proper facilities. And time. Time which he knew he did not have. He didn't know what had happened to the Klaxosaur, therefore he should assume the worst and act as if it were still an active threat.

He also had to do something rather... awkward. If he was going to do anything more productive then he would have to actually physically touch her. It shouldn't have phased him, but it did. He didn't care for Ikuno the way he did Kokoro, in fact if he was being honest Ikuno... kinda scared him. She just seemed so... unapproachable. Like she actively pushed him away; though he had never seen any proof to verify such a hunch. They only really interacted when piloting the Franxx, almost never speaking face to face outside of missions. Only on the occasions when they met as a team did they have any real interaction with each other. He decided he didn't really have a choice though. If she was injured- which was likely- then it was his duty to help her. They were partners after all- their casual avoidance of one another notwithstanding.

He checked her, rolling her on to her back and lifting her limbs, one at a time, checking for any fractures or obvious wounds. It would have helped him immensely had she still been conscious. He discovered that she did, in fact, have a few obvious wounds, aside from the head trauma. First, her right hand had two broken fingers, both the ring and middle finger. Second, her left leg was rigid, the muscles pulled taut and ultimately immovable. This was more than likely caused by the dismemberment Chlorophytum had suffered earlier. The body's nervous system was trying desperately to understand the signals it had received when the limb had been torn free. It still had a leg, but it had also been told that it had lost such a limb. The result was this paralysis. They had been told such an ailment was not uncommon for pistils, and to be expected during significant engagements, but was never cause for any serious worry, provided medical attention was received for it.

He decided that there was little more that he could do, so he decided to wake her. And for that, he required a perusal through the emergency supplies stashed within every Franxx.

He carefully dragged Ikuno's limp body to the side, giving him unimpeded access to the pistil's E-Stash. He felt along on the ground, guided by touch and memory more than sight, thanks to the dim illumination provided by the emergency lighting. His fingers eventually stumbled upon the opening and he pulled. The hatch swung open with a soft hiss, revealing the contents hidden within every Franxx's cockpit. A light- far more powerful than the emergency lighting- snapped to life, banishing the shadows within the hidden compartment.

His hands began to shift the various items around, looking for what he needed. The amount of survival gear was overwhelming. In fact, Futoshi didn't really remember every item within the stash, only the most obvious or most important. He removed a sleeping bag, an emergency blanket, a flashlight, several packages of rations, a flare gun with ammunition, four different pairs of colored smoke grenades, a radio with a backup battery, and multitudes of other pieces of equipment whose names escaped his memory. After some digging- and no small amount of cursing- he finally found the item he had been searching for. He hauled it out, grunting with its weight until it clanged loudly upon the deck as he- at last- retrieved it.

It was a large rectangle, featureless and metallic in design. It was cold to the touch, cooled from within. Upon its surface was a keypad and thumb scanner. After entering the stamen override, he pressed his thumb to the scanner. It hummed softly as it identified him as the stamen of Chlorophytum. A sharp prick of pain heralded the final form of identification- a blood sample. The pad winked green; the case unlocking in a series of hisses and whirls, concluding with a resounding pop as the lid puffed up an inch.

Futoshi lifted the lid, wisps of super-cooled gasses peeling of it as it rose. Within the chest were multiple vials and containers of various fluids, both biological and chemical. Blood packs, compatible with Ikuno, were the most abundant resource found within. He ignored these for now, searching instead through the other vials. YBC doses, incredibly powerful painkillers and hyper-active stimulants made up the last of the compounds found within. He pulled one of the stims and one of the painkillers free. He picked up the applicator, kept separate from the chest and slotted the stim vial within its rear with a clicking sound. The applicator looked more like a sidearm than any medical device. It was designed to be reliable and easy to use in a field setting.

He made his way to Ikuno, dropping low and picking up her arm whilst pressing the applicator's barrel to her limb. The pistil suit wouldn't get in the way- the needle would see to that. He pressed the button, sending the meager contents of the vial coursing through her system.

For a long second, nothing happened. Several heartbeats later though and Ikuno's eyes snapped wide open as she inhaled sharply.

"W-What!? What happened? Where am I?" She sat up suddenly and winced in pain. Her entire leg was on fire, a searing fire from within that burned along every nerve. Futoshi sat near her, hand placed upon her shoulder in what he most likely assumed was a reassuring touch. Ikuno didn't like touching. Not at all. Not from anyone really. And Futoshi kinda creeped her out to begin with- despite their partnership. She had seen how 'obsessive' he had become over Kokoro, and she had no desire to become the next object of his attentions.

"We took a hit, a big one and we both lost consciousness. I'm not sure how our team is doing though. I woke up before you, so I took a moment to make sure you weren't seriously injured. Then, I injected a stimulant," he held up the applicator, smiling as he did so, as if it were some triumph, "into your arm in order to wake you. How are you feeling? If you're in pain I have a painkiller ready as well."

He had checked her? How thorough had he been? Considering she still had her suit on she was pleasantly surprised. Maybe she had misjudged him. Especially when she considered that he had been so concerned for her well-being, completely ignoring his own she noticed. A thin trickle of blood ran down his head, drying quickly in the air. She pointed to this injury.

"I'm fine, but are you sure you're doing well? It would seem you have a more serious injury."

He looked surprised for a moment, until his hand pressed against his head, following Ikuno's stabbing finger. He grimaced as his fingers brushed against the wound. That was definitely going to leave a bruise. "Yeah, I'm fine. Nothing too serious. Just a flesh wound. We stamen don't get protective helmets, so we have to be extra tough." He slammed a fist to his chest in a show of brutish toughness. It nearly brought a flicker of laughter from her through the sheer display of ridiculous machismo. Almost. "So, you need that painkiller or not? I imagine that leg can't feel too good right about now."

Ikuno sighed internally. Futoshi could be cut in half and he would still think of other people first; although, that wasn't necessarily a negative trait. Perhaps his attachment could become annoying over time, but it wasn't like he had any hint of malice within him. He wasn't selfish like Hiro, nor was he as self-centered as Zorome, nor was he distant like Mitsuru. And Goro- that lucky bastard- was more like her than anyone she had met. She would be lying if she wasn't a tad bit envious of who he rode with as well. When she considered all of the boy's personalities though, Goro and Futoshi were probably the only two she could actually tolerate on a daily basis.

"No, thank you. My leg hurts, more than anything I've experienced before and I can't even begin to describe my headache, but that painkiller will make me groggy. I can't help the team if I'm like that, in fact I may even become a liability. That's something I'm not willing to risk. Now, help me back into the cradle, and let's continue."

Futoshi's smile dropped. "Ikuno, neither you nor Chlorophytum are in any shape to fight. We're one leg down for Papa's sake. And I haven't even checked the other systems yet; I seriously doubt our wings survived intact af-," they both felt the vibration reverberate through the deck. It was a deep, heavy thud, like that of a large predator, the type of sound that had inspired fear in mankind for generations when they had been little better than animals. Moments of silence passed before another boom followed, louder than before. They both knew instantly what it was: the heavy tread of a Franxx. The only cause of concern was that the Klaxosaur possessed a similar build and the footsteps could just as easily belong to it.

"Get me in the cradle. Now." She ordered her stamen.

He nodded, actually agreeing with her. That was certainly a surprise, for she had fully expected him to protest and to deny her. "Just promise me you'll take it easy. No more suicide charges, okay?"

"Fine, but I'll be damned if I'm going down without a fight. I don't want to be just another number today. I want to make that thing bleed."

He laughed heartily. "You and me both, Ikuno. Don't you worry, we'll make that monster bleed. For all the parasites lost today." He said with a surprising amount of conviction within his voice.

He hooked his arm beneath her's, supporting her weak-side as they stumbled across the cockpit towards the cradle. Another boom echoed from without as she slid her single working leg across the mount. With Futoshi's assistance, she was able to work her nerve deadened leg into the stirrup; though more to keep it from flailing about than to serve any practical use.

Futoshi worked frantically to return the emergency supplies and other items to the stash, as they would be a hazard once they began to perform any sort of movement. He fought off the urge to open one of the freed meat packages and consume it right then and there. His stomach growled, begging for food, but he didn't have the time. Several more thumps sounded from outside, each one growing louder and louder, spurring his movements with greater and greater urgency.

Futoshi slammed the lid shut and practically leaped into his console, working his back into the cushion as his hands gripped the dual-handled controls. Yellow lights swelled with energy upon Ikuno's spine, running down her parasite suit in sequence as the connection between stamen and pistil was established. He felt a flicker of her conscience brush against his, and for the briefest of moments he became disoriented as all that they thought, felt, and experienced merged into a conglomeration of thought. It lasted only until the neural handshake was complete and then it dissipated, leaving both parasites as they had been before. Neither could accurately remember the true feeling of the moment that had passed, but that was normal. Every parasite knew of it and they all simply ignored it, knowing it was nothing more than just a single moment of disorientation as they connected. Sometimes it hit hard though, causing the link to falter. Fortunately for them, that would not be today.

Chlorophytum's cyclopean eye opened once more, scanning the area for the source of the noise. Before the cause could even be identified they propped themselves up on one arm while the other speared out, aiming at whatever was approaching them. Both parasites relaxed as their targeting lock phased green, overlapping across Delphinium's face.

Chlorophytum dropped her arm, the weapon humming down as the energy within died. She smiled, relieved beyond words as their friends had survived. Their gratitude was not only for Delphinium's survival, but for the arm-less Argentea that followed close behind them, and in the distance even Genista could be seen, standing guard with her back to them all, providing security for the squad as a whole.

Delphinium knelt beside them, their hands sweeping beneath Chlorophytum's head, cradling them gently as they peered down at them. Delphinium smiled with Ichigo's face, and all of Ikuno's worries melted away before that benevolent expression as they were washed away by a flood of reassuring emotions.

"It's good to see you're alright, Ikuno. You too, Futoshi."

Ikuno's heart leapt with joy at Ichigo's words. Neither her face nor tone of voice betrayed such an emotion though, preferring instead to keep such a precious thing to herself. Maybe one day she would share it. Maybe one day. Futoshi spoke before she could.

"You think a little impact like that is gonna keep us down? I couldn't keep Ikuno out of this fight, even if I had tried!" Futoshi boasted as Delphinium hauled them onto their remaining leg. And of course, Zorome had to add his word as well; though it boiled down to little more than an unoriginal insult.

"I'm sure your fat head cushioned the impact for her!" He laughed hysterically across the channel, amused by his own antics. Chlorophytum rolled their single eye, Ikuno disdaining such immaturity. They leaned against Delphinium for support; though neither Franxx was walking correctly on its own, when they combined they almost succeeded as a single, walking entity.

Futoshi had become distracted by the diagnostics that had begun to scroll across his screen, and therefore largely ignored Zorome's pestering. The diagnostics weren't pleasing at all. Their Franxx was practically useless in its current state. Aside from the obvious missing limb, their main propulsion system was down, their right manipulator had seized up and the weapon transfiguration was no longer possible, and to top it all off they were at seventeen percent energy capacity. A grim outlook indeed, Futoshi decided. He reported all of this across the channel as he looked Goro in the eye.

Goro nodded upon the screen as he received the report. "That's not good news- could be worse- but still not good at all. The Klaxosaur has yet to be confirmed dead, its merely been disabled. As for now, we're still in this fight." Zorome's face appeared below Goro's as all three stamen conferred together. The pistils were present as well, their participation represented by the Franxx's own face instead of their biological. "But, if we want to survive it we need a plan. I'm thinking that we rely heavily upon Genista, since they are nearly undamaged and outfitted for range combat. This thing is incredibly dangerous, but appears completely powerless at range. It needs to close with us if it wants to fight. We will utilize that to our advantage."

Zorome voiced his opinion. "But can Genista actually harm it? We've seen the thing soak punishment up like it was nothing! Only Delphinium actually seemed to hurt it when they impaled the bastard- good work on that one Goro- but otherwise the monster is practically invincible!"

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree with Zorome." Ikuno's voice was quite the surprise, but her calm demeanor was always helpful and would provide much-needed insight. "We can't just shoot it, we're going to have destroy it the hard way; with magma blades. When we consider the places we have struck so far though I can only theorize two possibilities. The first is the most likely possibility. I firmly believe that whatever form its core takes shall be located within the head. The second theory is that this one is actually formed of several, far smaller, Klaxosaurs and therefore possess several cores spread throughout its body. We have enough evidence to support both theories. Which one do we explore though is the true question."

It was Miku that answered. "Go for the head, duh! If that doesn't work, then we go for the mutilation plan. Sounds fun. Its a lot easier though to get a head-shot in then it is to stab every limb. Although, such a decision is not up to us as we won't actually be able to deal the killing blow... for reasons..." she let her accusation hang in the air.

"I said I was sorry! I was out of options alright?!"

The two parasites began to squabble, their voices gaining in volume before they were muted by the rest of the squad. Zorome's face remained, yelling wordlessly, upon the interior of both Franxx's screens. Both stamen shook their heads as they let the battle continue. Argentea was basically useless without arms though, and such was the harsh truth. So, they were left out of the conference.

"So, how should we-," they were cut off as Mitsuru's voice cut in. Audio only.

"Delphinium, movement detected. We have seconds at best until it breaks free."

"Roger that, Genista. You are clear to engage at will. We have Chlorophytum online, but we aren't quite ready to engage. Give us as much time as you can."

Futoshi shrugged his thick shoulders. "I guess we're out of time then. All I can think of is following Ikuno's plan: rely on Genista to soften the target and then someone deliver the killing blow. I vote Delphinium does it."

"I agree with my partner. Chlorophytum is in no shape to deliver that final strike. But, you can, Ichigo."

"Right. Makes sense. Well Ichigo, it looks like it's up to us. Ready?"

Delphinium stooped to retrieve a blade that lay on the ground, fallen from its earlier impalement. It belonged to her, and she would wield it once more. She held both blades at the ready; one broken at its shaft, the other dripping blue ichor from the wound it had caused the Klaxosaur.

"Ready."

Genista's first shot rang out.

* * *

Kokoro's eyes widened as a clawed hand burst forth from the rubble, reaching for freedom from its entombment. She felt the cannon buck within Genista's hands as they fired. The round impacted with tremendous force, completely destroying the rubble mound- and hopefully causing significant damage to the target.

They heard it then. They heard the screaming begin, a blood-curdling howl that could only come from one entity, and they knew it was still there. They didn't wait for the smoke to clear. As soon as they were able to they fired again. And again. And again. And _again_.

A fusillade of magma rounds were fired into the area, annihilating anything stubborn enough to stay still. Targeting overlays flickered over nothing in the aftermath, seeking and finding little but dust to lock onto. But that didn't matter. Only destruction did. And so they continued firing.

The screaming never stopped. It was drowned out by the sounds of the firing cannon, but it was never completely inaudible. Always it would pervade the air after a round went off, never ceasing in its laborious wail of agony. It sounded pained. It sounded hurt. _Good._

Genista fired until the barrel glowed white hot, contrasting sharply with her black color scheme. And then she fired some more. She only ceased such a torrent of fire when the cannon clunked empty. That's when the screaming finally stopped and a blissful silence descended upon the area.

She hoisted her weapon up and ejected the spent casings. It was rare for her to expend so much ammunition on a single mission and she only had one more reload before the weapon was dry. With great haste did the Franxx reload. The silence was alarmingly oppressive after the thunderous exchange that had just taken place.

A red glow materialized from the depths of the dust, growing in brightness as the light staggered to the edge of the cloud. The parasites felt extreme trepidation as the Klaxosaur's head resolved out of the inky blackness. It had changed, and it was all the more monstrous for it.

Its head had been damaged, torn asunder by the forces Genista had unleashed. The right side had been completely shorn off, revealing the creature's true face. It was absolutely horrifying to look upon. The hidden face was too similar to a human skull to be anything but a grisly parody, for it was enlarged beyond reason to fit the creature's size. A baleful red eye stared from its place set deep within an endlessly dark socket. The face was pale as bone, with spiderwebs of sapphire that ran as lines of pulsating energy. A single horn protruded from its temple, stunted and unable to reach past the creature's mask of a face, which still blessedly covered the remainder of its true face.

The Klaxosaur began to growl, and even from across the plaza Kokoro could see it shake with unbridled fury, its outline phasing as it quivered. It was going to charge them, and they hadn't yet reloaded. "Mitsuru, pull us back. **Now!** "

Too late.

The monster was a blur as it stepped off, its left leg propelling it forward. The large quills upon its back flared up and fired intermittently, blasts of some sort of negative energy flaring brightly, adding their own force to the Klaxosaur's charge. It sped across the plaza in seconds, crashing into Genista and knocking her back. Her fire supports, rooted as they were, ripped free from the concrete street. The Klaxosaur's momentum carried them well until they slammed into a building's side.

The interior of the cockpit was bathed in that baleful illumination as the creature pressed its grisly skull into their faceplate. That crimson eye glared at the children, as if it could see them through the metal. The eye contracted, that dreadful glow lessening in intensity as the black sclera tightened around the blood-red cornea. The creature pulled its head away. Their cockpit vibrated as the Klaxosaur screamed, the sound almost unbearable within such close proximity. Spittle and shrapnel from destroyed Franxx units flew from its throat, coating their vision.

 _WHAM!_

The creature violently thrust its shattered head into Genista's, snapping her head back and into the building. Kokoro flinched under the assault. The creature gripped their shoulders and brought them into another headbutt.

 _WHAM!_

Mitsuru's vision swam as his head bashed against the back of his seat, even the cushion unable to stop such violent force.

 _WHAM!_

Kokoro felt the cannon begin to slip from Genis-

 _WHAM!_

-the weapon clattered to the ground, useless to them now. She felt the creature's claws reach around Genista's neck, gripping hard as the creature dragged the Franxx upwards. She could feel her neck begin to burn as its claws surged with energy. Mitsuru hauled upon the controls and the Franxx tried to respond. Thrusters fired uselessly in a futile attempt to escape th-

 _WHAM!_

-the thrusters ceased firing as Mitsuru lost control, falling from his seat in a tangle of limbs. He grit his teeth and tried desperately to resume his position. He couldn't leave Kokoro. Not now. Not ev

 _WHAM!_

Another blow saw Mitsuru knocked across the cockpit, his head slamming into the cold, metal interior. Blackness seeped into his vision and he faded from consciousness.

"MITSURU!" Kokoro yelled in anguish. She couldn't pilot Genista without him, and the neural link had already gone dark. They were utterly helpless, unless... Kokoro tried to connect once more with Genista. She was close. She could almost feel Genista's powerful limbs as her own. She was so _very_ close. Alarms sounded within the cockpit as Genista threatened to run over into stampede mode. The Franxx's face began to transform, metal wrenching out of shape, becoming more bestial in appear-

 _WHAM!_

-the connection was severed as another blow sent Kokoro plummeting back from the pistil's cradle, barely clutching onto consciousness. She landed near Mitsuru. Her hand reached out, almost touching him. So close. So _very_ close. It seemed like he was a million miles away. She pushed herself up on one arm and be-

 _WHAM!_

-their bodies tumbled wildly within the metal tomb. This time, he ended up atop her. His back pressed into her chest, his body far heavier than her's. It became hard to breathe, but nevertheless, she wrapped her arms around his torso, clinging to her pa-

 _WHAM!_

-they were sent tumbling again, but this time they stayed together, her fragile arms bruised from the rough tumble, but she locked herself all the tighter to Mitsuru.

Memories flashed through her mind. She remembered the warm sun on her face as she had bounced a ball with Miku upon a perfect white beach. She remembered the sand between her toes as they had run, free from the weight of responsibility and the constant fear that was standard for a parasite's life.

She remem-

 _WHAM!_

-the prideful look on Futoshi's face as she had promised to be his partner forever. And she remembered the look of betrayal on the same face as she shattered his future, favoring another over him. But, mostly, she remembered when-

 _WHAM!_

-she had stumbled upon Mitsuru hiding away within the greenhouse, scared and utterly alone.

He had always been so aloof, so distant from it all, and that had been the first time she had seen him as one of them. Just another lost child. It had been... reassuring to see that even the strongest of them struggled sometimes. And he was the-

 _WHAM!_

-strongest of them. At least to her. But, even the strongest needed help sometimes. And she wanted to help him. She wanted to support him when he could no longer hold himself up. She didn't understand where this feeling came from, or even what it was, but she had to follow it.

Kokoro began to cry, tears streaming from her eyes, soaking into Mitsuru's parasite suit as sh-

 _WHAM!_

-clung tightly to him. These were not from pain though. These stemmed from her desire to make more memories with Mitsuru. A desire to experience things together. To see things neither had seen before. A desire to create a better future. A desire now denied to her by this... _monstrosity._ So much potential, now nothing more than waste. This was the end.

She sobbed, still clinging tightly to her partner. At least she wouldn't die alone. She would share this final experience with her partner- no- with her _friend._ She buried her head into his back, stifling her sobbing. The cold, plastic-like plate of his stamen harness pressed against her chin, the last thing standing between them.

A minute passed before Kokoro realized that no further blows were forthcoming. Nothing impacted against their hull. No Klaxosaur scream pierced their hearing. Silence reigned king within the darkness, the E-lighting non-responsive.

With nothing better to do, Kokoro held Mitsuru's limp body to her tightly. Her fingers ran through his soft hair, massaging his injured head tenderly. She whispered to him, the only sound within the cockpit.

"It's going to be alright, Mitsuru. We will be okay, as long as we are together."

Something massive moved just outside the cockpit. The noise of battle returned through the metal hull, distant and muted now. What exactly was happening outside she did not know. Nor did she want particularly want to. There had been enough horror already.

She held her future tighter in the cold dark.

* * *

Squad 13 had done their best to intercept the Klaxosaur. But only Argentea had even come close to stopping it. Delphinium had only been able to limp along in their wake, blades held at the ready as they abandoned Chlorophytum in the name of speed. Chlorophytum willingly stayed behind, propped against a building as they braced. They were unable to follow immediately; though they at least had a ranged weapon and had subsequently poured their quickly depleting energy reserves into several hastily aimed shots that splattered ineffectually off the Klaxosaur. The creature hadn't even slowed its assault.

They had watched in horror as the Klaxosaur had fought Genista. No, 'fighting' wasn't what had occurred between the two. It was far too brutal. Too savage. Too _inhuman_. Genista had been mauled. Mauled by an insane monster from the blackest depths of hell.

The Klaxosaur ceased its brutal assault upon their squad mate and it turned to face them, identifying new threats, or perhaps merely seeking new prey. They saw with horror that it had grown in size, mutating grotesquely as well. Spines, like tangles of brambles found in the deep woods, grew wildly across its body now. These growths appeared randomly, without thought or reason. And its right hand had become disfigured, fingers merging into a three-taloned claw, the blades far longer now than they had been before. Its left leg had swollen immensely as well, almost doubling in mass; though the growth appeared rampant and uncontrolled. Massive quills jutted from its back, just as before, but now some were bent at an odd or painful angle. Several were larger and looked far sharper, and arcs of electricity leapt freely between these pillars of madness. And all of their eyes were drawn to its own; that crimson eye set deep within a parody of their own skulls. It was a true monster now, its very existence an insult to the natural order of things.

The creature was breathing- actually _breathing_ \- as it turned to face them, chest heaving with the apparently monumental effort. It was slouched over, as if standing straight pained it immensely. Its head flicked to one side, and its tri-clawed hand twitched erratically, flexing open and closing rapidly, as it paused above Genista's inactive body.

None of the parasites moved. What could they do to it that they hadn't done already? Ichigo wondered if this was even a fight they could win, let alone fight. Maybe retreat was a viable option? Her mind briefly considered a plan that involved baiting the creature away so they could haul Genista to safely, but the arrival of a new danger invalidated such a plan.

The plantation shook, its very foundation vibrating beneath them and shaking debris loose en masse. A rumbling sound stretched through the air before it was replaced by the now-common sound of wrenching steel. The parasites' attention turned towards the plantation's edge as something broke through. Something _very_ large. The buildings obscured their view of the new threat, but they couldn't block the radiance of sunlight that accompanied such a breach. The breach must have been absolutely massive to let so much natural light in. They heard the newcomer screech, that same sound that heralded every Klaxosaur's approach.

 _Fantastic,_ Ichigo sighed internally. Something new to deal with. Considering the damage already done to the plantation, it was more than likely a Gutenberg class. Such an opponent would have been a challenge had they been fully rested, completely undamaged, and at full squad strength. But now? No way in hell. They had to retreat. This battle was lost, and dying for nothing wasn't in her mind today.

"Argentea," she opened the squad channel. "Get the target's attention- should be fairly easy- and then run. Make sure it follows you. I want it away from Genista. Chlorophytum, cover us. Delphinium will retrieve Genista."

"Woah! Wait just a minute! Are we retreating?!" Zorome asked incredulously.

"Yes. Yes we are." Goro answered for his fellow squad leader, defending her decision, knowing full well the consequences of staying in this losing fight. "We can't win here. Not without Strelizia and certainly not in our current state. Do as Ichigo says Argentea. That's an order."

"B-but... but... Papa's orders-"

"Are no longer possible, Zorome. We cannot stay here. We cannot win. Not today. This city is lost. Now, do as we command!" Goro said forcefully, catching all of the parasites off-guard. He never raised his voice. _Never._ To hear it sound with such fervor was startling. But, it had worked. Argentea moved to obey.

The Klaxosaur had had its attention shifted, focusing on the distant breach. Genista was safe, for the moment. The creature seemed to have trouble focusing at times, completely ignoring things that had acquired its full attention mere moments before. Argentea moved quickly, both legs pumping them towards the target.

The Klaxosaur fixed its attention upon them, tracking their movement, and suddenly it was springing into action once more. The creature's bulk moved awkwardly forward, propelled by the massively oversized leg in a stumbling hunched gait.

 _Well,_ Miku mused, _they certainly had it's attention, and they barely even had to try!_ The two combatants approached, quickly closing the distance. Argentea leapt to the side at the final moment, dodging the Klaxosaur's clumsy charge. The creature hurtled past them, desperately trying to stop its momentum and turn to face them. Its misshapen leg was powerful, but had clearly thrown off its balance.

Argentea turned down a side street, narrow and near claustrophobic, and sprinted down it as fast as possible. She only stopped to ensure the creature was still chasing her- which it was. Papa bless this thing's single-minded nature.

The Klaxosaur could barely fit within the narrow street. Already its shoulders brushed against the steel frames of the buildings, sending debris scattering away as it plunged after them, screeching and howling like a banshee. Its tri-clawed hand reached out for them, grasping ineffectually within the air. Glass would have been cascading down around the beast had any been left unshattered from the earlier explosions.

Delphinium and Chlorophytum sneaked past the creature as it was distracted, careful not to draw its attention. Chlorophytum had difficulty in doing so, but managed to awkwardly hop along the side of the street using the buildings to steady herself. Her remaining weapon was focused entirely upon the creature's back as it chased Argentea. She had little chance of harming it, but she was more than willing to attract the creature's attention if it meant Genista could be evacuated safely. Fortunately, Delphinium reached Genista without event.

Delphinium knelt over their comrade, examining the damage done to the Franxx. It didn't look good, and Genista wasn't responding to their hails. She tried to disengage the faceplate, but it had become too heavily damaged by the Klaxosaur's assault. It would be impossible to remove within the field and would have to be cut away within a hanger. There was little more that they could do here. But, they could move them safely away from danger.

Delphinium pulled Genista away from the building and then maneuvered behind her. Then, she hooked her arms beneath Genista's, hands clasping her own wrists. She leaned backwards and began to buddy-drag their comrade free, making sure the cockpit wasn't jostled too much. They moved slowly, burdened by Genista's weight and her own injury. Chlorophytum was able to keep pace with them, covering them as they moved.

"Are we really abandoning the city?" Futoshi asked. "Isn't it our duty to protect these people?" He sounded frustrated. Was this not their cause for existing? Their very lives were forfeit, sacrifices readily made in the name of humanity. They suffered wretched mortality so that the majority of humanity could prosper, immortal and glorious beyond understanding. Such a cause was noble, just and honorable.

"It is," Goro answered for Ichigo, straining as she was whilst dragging Genista. Her frail, biological body was being placed under abnormal strain and her muscles were being pushed to the breaking point, the neural feedback taxing heavily upon her body. "But if we stay here we will die. And dying here will be for nothing. There is no evacuation going underway that needs five more minutes to be successful. We are not charging heroically into a Gutenberg class. We are struggling through a dying city. These adults are already dead. The battle outside is no longer in our favor. If they failed to stop the Klaxosaurs then we have no chance of doing the same."

Futoshi knew this. He knew all of it, or least had begun to reach the same conclusions. But that didn't mean he had to like it. Or even agree with it. Orders were orders though, and he wouldn't disobey his squad leaders. Not now. Maybe one day, but not today. They had loss though. And that had hurt him. It had hurt them all.

"Delphinium!" Miku's voice shrieked across the net, startling the silent parasites. "The Klaxosaur lost interest in us. Its coming back your way!"

"Oh no." Ichigo whispered beneath her breath. They had been too slow. Far too slow.

"We have you covered Delphinium. Just get Genista out of here." Ikuno said as Chlorophytum swung her weapon behind them, bracing her free hand against a building as she aimed down the street, ready to receive the Klaxosaur as a fresh target.

"Ikuno, what are your energy reserves at?"

Ikuno didn't respond. Chlorophytum held her ground as Delphinium slowly pulled away, steered away by Goro.

" **IKUNO!** " Ichigo screamed, suddenly desperate for a response that would invalidate her fears.

Still, Ikuno chose to not speak, Chlorophytum content to stand as a sentinel over the street.

" **IKUNO! ANSWER ME DAMNIT!** "

At last, Ikuno could no longer hold back. She could already feel tears welling within her eyes. She answered as unemotionally as she could, sparing Ichigo's heart.

"Three percent." Not enough. Only a dozen shots or so and a few steps. After that, nothing would save them.

They didn't have time for tears. They didn't have time for any last words or heartfelt speeches. Fate came to them in the form of a screeching, half-mad and tortured soul.

The Klaxosaur hurtled out from a side street, crashing into a building with bone-jarring force, unable to cease its wild momentum. It turned, snarling as it did so, to look at Chlorophytum- its next victim. It charged, its seemingly impossible mass moving quicker than even Argentea could ever hope to achieve.

Ichigo desperately tried to return to Chlorophytum's side. Goro held Delphinium back though, hauling upon the controls and retreating. It was difficult to maintain the connection, and they only found common ground in saving Genista. It didn't change the fact that Ichigo railed against such a fate and it broke Goro's heart to see her in such a state.

Chlorophytum held her ground, both parasites consigning themselves to their respective fates. Ikuno consoled herself with the thought that she was dying for love. She found purity of purpose within that. Futoshi consoled himself that it was an honorable death. Simple, but a noble end was better than a life of cowardice.

The Klaxosaur closed with them. They held their weapon at the ready, aiming down its sights, their cyclopean eye focusing in on a single point upon the creature's profile. They fired.

The Klaxosaur's head snapped back, the energy bolt impacting into the creature's crimson eye. It flinched, halting it in its tracks as it flailed about in pain. They waited until it ceased such a tantrum. It looked up and they saw the wound had already begun to close, spiderwebs of tissues stitching that horrid mass together again.

Chlorophytum fired again, aiming for the same area. The creature held up an arm, deflecting the shot with a wrist. It began to charge again, covering its only apparent weakness.

 _Well_ , Ikuno thought, _at least we tried._ At least we defied it until the very end. She fired Chlorophytum's weapon again. No effect. She fired again. No effect. A third time. No effect. She emptied what little energy she had left that was allocated to offensive operations into the weapon. Shot after shot impacted with the same futility. They ran dry within moments. She pulsed a subconscious command to Futoshi, a request to override their fail-safes and divert life support systems and maneuvering power to the offensive pool. He approved it at the speed of thought and the lights dimmed as joints locked solidly together and thrusters cooled to inactivity. Their weapon arm surged though, and several more energy blasts were hurtled towards the incoming Klaxosaur. This was an act of sheer defiance, and nothing more.

Chlorophytum's parasites braced themselves, ready to meet their end as the creature neared them. Fate had other plans that day however.

Several explosions bloomed across the Klaxosaur's armored hide, halting the creature as it experienced pain beyond relief. Ikuno recognized the explosions for what they were: magmaphex fire. The creature writhed in pain, flailing madly about as the fires consumed it from without. It screeched horribly, clearly in plain, and Ikuno couldn't help but to feel the slightest amount of sympathy for it. It was an abominable monster, but nothing deserved such suffering.

Magmaphex fire was nearly impossible to extinguish and would continue to burn through any material- organic or inorganic- until it ran its course. It was incredibly dangerous and was only deployed on rare occasions- for obvious reasons. It was mainly used as a deterrent, as it had no hope of destroying a Klaxosaur's core, but could easily stop them in their tracks. It just felt so... inhumane though.

Ikuno had only ever seen them used in training before, and had never expected to see them used in a combat environment. They certainly weren't authorized for use in the city either, and the only member of their squad that had carried such weaponry was the currently incapacitated Genista. They had several rounds on hand, but were only usable when specially authorized. Authorization that she knew had never been given. _So, who had deployed such a weapon?_

An APE gunship flew overhead, appearing from behind the smoke cloud generated by the currently scorching Klaxosaur. It roared past them, the engines becoming little more than a buzz due to the disparity in size. Chlorophytum's stamen could only track it through the visual spectrum, their earlier depletion of energy leaving them horribly vulnerable and immobile. Futoshi wondered who could possibly be insane enough to use such a weapon, and within a plantation nonetheless. Did they understand the consequences of such a reckless action?

The gunship looped around for another pass, swooping down upon the frantically burning Klaxosaur. The heavy caliber machine gun mounted beneath its nose opened up, sending a stream of tracer fire into the Klaxosaur. The rounds did nothing though, merely pinging off its armor like hail on a tin roof.

"Unidentified APE gunship state your reason for entering this area. This is an active combat zone and your presence is _not_ authorized." Goro broadcasted across an open channel.

A grainy voice filtered back, weak with static and distorted by background engine noise. "H-hey gu-... it's me Hi-... to help you."

Oh no. Oh no. _Oh no._ _That damned fool! How could he be so reckless?!_ Goro was absolutely speechless. He had no idea how to respond to Hiro's actions. He wanted to tell him how stupid he was being, but if it hadn't been for him Chlorophytum would most definitely be dead.

"Hiro!" Ichigo's voice lit up the channel. She sounded relieved more than surprised though. And not a hint of reproach within her voice. "Hiro, you came to help! I'm... I'm so happy to see you."

Goro's heart wrenched hard. Hiro was his best friend, but he was so much more than a friend to Ichigo. He would be lying to himself if he said such a fact didn't bother him.

The gunship made another pass, the gun chattering ineffectually once more. The Klaxosaur still burned, screeching its pain to the world as it suffered under the horrible affliction. Hiro's voice came in clearer as the gunship neared them again. The bulky thing pulled up beside them, hovering upon pillars of fire just in front of Delphinium.

"Actually, I came for a different reason, but I saw that you needed my help. So, I helped. Is it really as bad as it looks?"

Ichigo's heart sank. She knew why he had come to help. She was near. That devil. That demon. That succubus. That _monster_. She wanted to ask though, just to make sure. But she didn't. She couldn't bring herself to. She was tired of fighting. Of fighting Klaxosaurs. Of fighting her teammates. Of everything really. Goro saved her from embarrassment, as he always had before.

"So Hiro, where exactly did you get the gunship?"

"Oh, this? I, uhm... kinda... maybe... stole it." Hiro sounded embarrassed. Ichigo could imagine how he would be reacting right now. Looking shyly away, perhaps even blushing. He would laugh it off as well, saying it was nothing.

"Really? That's kinda badass man." Goro was actually quite proud of his friend. It took guts to do that. He could respect it.

"You think so?" He chuckled. "I'm just glad I made it in time. Hopefully the punishment won't be too bad."

"Eh, shouldn't be-"

Ikuno's voice broke across the channel.

"Sorry to interrupt this little reunion, but in case you had forgotten I merely wished to remind you: Chlorophytum is still without power, and the Klaxosaur is finally putting out the fire you started. Some help would be _greatly_ appreciated."

The fires died out, choking to nothing as they were smothered by dust and debris. Several were able to survive, clinging to life as they fed upon the Klaxosaur's flesh, but still they diminished until they became inconsequential. After a minute, maybe two, the Klaxosaur rose from the ground.

Its blue armor had been singed black from the flames, and its flesh was oozing a vicious liquid reminiscent of tree sap in its consistency. Horrid blisters were already appearing across the afflicted areas, and in some cases were already popping, spilling their bio-mechanical contents across its skin in a sickening healing salve. Spiderwebs of tissue, spun by unseen hands, marched their way across the various wounds and gaps of flesh upon the creature's body, closing them unnaturally quick. No scar tissue remained behind to signify such sutures, the 'skin' returning to its natural color of midnight.

The Klaxosaur's attention wasn't upon the parasites anymore. Nor upon the gunship. The creature turned its head towards the area they had been retreating from. Its attention was fixated on a single point, or rather it was upon a single being. Down the street, standing atop a pile of rubble, stood a lone figure.

Strelizia had finally arrived.


	5. Chapter 5: STARR Fall

Greetings all of my faithful readers! I apologize for this chapter's incredibly slow release. I had far too much to contend with over the holidays and returning to work. But, I wanted this to be good so I took my time and ensured it was of a quality I could be proud of, and for the most part, I am! This chapter introduces entirely new characters to the story, as well as flushes out some old ones. I believe I may be able to get one more chapter out before the beginning of March, and after that, I will be unable to release another chapter until May, at the earliest. I do sincerely apologize for that, but know that I will continue to write this story. Until the very last line is written, I'll be here with you all. Also, all of the other chapters have been revised and edited, so go and check them out! Chp. 1 actually has some new content within it and the others are merely corrections.

* * *

 **Chp. 5**

 **S.T.A.R.R Fall**

An ancient world, steeped in war and death from ages long past, spun below within the dark, endless void of space. A jewel within the rough, it was wholly unique within the many light years of relative nothingness that surrounded it. It was the only planetoid capable of supporting the most precious of the galaxy's finite resources: biological life.

It was no longer in its golden age though. That glorious era of biodiversity was long gone; drowned in the sins of its current occupants, the most selfish and dominant of all its rulers throughout the entirety of its ancient history. And yet, despite all the abuse her children had wrought upon her surface in their mad desire to control everything, the planet maintained an admirable beauty to it. Its oceans were still present; though the vast majority of them were acidic and near inimical to life now. Miraculously though, some areas had actually managed to remain habitable- if not entirely unchanged- from before the fall of Man's vast empire. The vast stretches of land were barren now, the green of the old age now naught but little more than a memory in those minds keen enough to recall such verdant fields. His mind was one of those few.

The head of the council, greatest of the Seven Sages, first among equals, beloved leader of all mankind, known to the masses as 'Papa' leaned back in his cushioned chair, enjoying the sight of the old homeworld turning slowly beneath him. It was majestic, despite its gradual degradation over the past century. He wondered if any human could look out over Earth and see anything _but_ beauty. Was this a flaw within them, encoded by mother nature to secure their loyalty to her? Or were humans truly such fools, denying their world's death even as it happened before their very eyes? Perhaps he would never know. Perhaps he already had the answer and wisely kept it to himself.

"This changes everything." A deep voice said behind him. The council was in session, arguing over nothing of great importance to him. Their opinions were barely noticeable to him, but he still tolerated them as it was far too difficult to manage a world completely on his own. That, and he didn't really want to rule the world as some tyrannical dictator. No, his goal was far more noble than that. He simply wished to lead humanity to the apex of civilization. And for that he needed help. So, he tolerated the council and their inexhaustible plethora of disagreements, as he had for the last century.

"Hardly. This changes nothing. The arrival of such a creature is uncommon, but not unplanned for. We can easily dismiss such an arrival, we have already won." Said a lighter, more feminine voice, belonging to the sage known as Marmoset, who happened to be the only female sage upon the council. The woman possessed a fierce intelligence and a ruthless personality that bordered on sadistic cruelty. In the old world, when humanity was still divided into countries, it was her that had led APE's political delegations, securing treaties, contracts and oaths of allegiance from any entity with a bit of power that APE desired to make their own. Now she headed APE's administration department as The Minister of Administration, working hard to ensure every last adult was accounted for and knew their place. She often worked hand-in-hand with her fellow department head, The Minister of Logistics.

"It's not just the creature I'm worried about, Marmoset. I'm more worried about _where_ the creature is. And even more so, I'm worried about the Gutenberg class that just arrived upon the battlefield. Plantation 26 is now at serious risk of being overwhelmed!" The deep voice spoke once more.

"Rest easy my honored colleagues, we fully expected to take heavy losses for this battle. This is a war, after all, we were never going to come out unscathed." Said the vice-chairman, his greatest ally and the closest thing he had to a friend. He was one of the few that could not only be trusted with the knowledge of his goal, but actually shared in the same vision.

"Losses were expected among the parasites, they were bred as our soldiers after all. But we can replace such numbers within a decade. This is not true for the adults. Each adult lost is a significant blow to the entire species. And now we stand to lose an entire plantation's worth of our kind! We simply cannot replace such losses as easily, or at all really. This has gone too far!" The same deep voice spoke once more. It belonged to none other than Gorilla, the largest man upon the council in terms of stature and self-righteous attitude. For reasons unknown to Papa, the man had long ago decided to become the council's moral compass, clashing vehemently whenever he felt they were going too far. This had amused Papa greatly at the time, which is why Gorilla had been instated as the Commandant of the Parasite Corps, a position that he had initially refused, but eventually took willingly as he realized that someone with less 'moral restraint' would be placed in his stead. Technically speaking, he was the acting military commander for APE as well, but he possessed very little actual authority on any matter not exclusively pertaining to parasite breeding, growth, training or deployment. Such matters as large as this operation were decided upon by the council as a whole, rather than by a single individual. And this was the reason for their gathering today. Truth be told, Papa would much rather just sit and watch Earth turn slowly beneath him, but he rarely got what he wanted.

"That's not for you to decide. What we are doing today will decide the future of humanity as an entire species. A few million lost souls is hardly worth a moment's hesitation." Said Tarsier, the smallest in stature of all seven of them, but possibly the most ambitious as well. Quick to speak, and quicker to act. He was cold and logical, relying on calculated risks that favored his side over his opponents. No cost was too great, no action too deprived, as long as the job was done with a mathematical precision that would be the envy of any thinking machine. He was the perfect man for the logistical department of APE and had been rightly appointed as such. Ever since then he had organized the plantations on a grand scale, ensuring that everything went as smoothly as possible within humanity's great civilization. The magma energy flowed through the cities efficiently under his unwavering gaze, not a drop going to waste thanks to his tireless efforts.

Gorilla slammed his clenched fists against the chair's armrests. Every other council member- with only a single exception- turned as one towards this emotional outburst. " **Damnit!** That's not what this is about. How can you all be so callous? How can you have such an utter disregard for human life? I voiced my opinion on the parasite project all those years ago, but eventually even I came around to see the logic in it. The absolute necessity of it all; though I still loathe it to this day. But even then I believed it ethical- to a certain extent. But this? This is too much." He swept his hand across every member of the council as he addressed all of them, even the one who gazed out upon their world. "What happened to us? We were men and women of science once. We adhered to logic as our overruling code, sure, but we always kept in mind the ethical ramifications of our work. But now? We sit up here, safe from harm, and control the world from afar, arrogantly believing that we are some sort of divine pantheon that dictates fate itself. We were better than this, all those years ago. Did we not work for the betterment of humanity then? Did we not strive for the absolute preservation of human life? Sure, we were forced to make concessions over the few years, but we never threw away life needlessly." He sighed, his childish tirade apparently at its end. "All I ask is that we authorize the deployment of another company, just enough units in order to secure an evacuation of the plantation. If we act now we may be able to save fifty percent of the population."

At long last the head of the council spoke, though he did not deign to turn his throne around. His voice resonated through the air, inviting no argument, so absolute in its authority it was. "Is that it? Do you wish to expend an entire company of your precious parasites in order to save a few million souls? What an admirable cause. I'm almost tempted to authorize it, but we have more pressing concerns at the moment."

Within the middle of the room a holographic display of immense size was alive with motion. It displayed the battlefield in excruciatingly realistic detail, the Franxx units, Plantations, and even Klaxosaurs all accurately portrayed by scaled three-dimensional holographic models that mirrored their living counterparts, all updated in real time thanks to a veritable fleet of unmanned aerial drones that were no larger than a human skull. Papa pressed a button on the control panel integrated into his throne, a chime sounding softly in the air as several balls of light winked alive within Plantation 26's holographic model. The dots themselves were clustered tightly together, but were not actively represented by a three-dimensional model, the interference being too strong for the drones to operate effectively within the area. Another button press and Plantation 26 hove into view, magnified until it consumed the display entirely and the rest of the battlefield melted away, the struggles of the wider Parasite Corps forgotten for the moment.

Intrigued by Papa's theatrical antics, the council leaned forward as one, watching the display with sudden interest. The dots were not all the same, each one color-coded to a specific parasite pair, automatically assigned by their handler as soon as the team had dropped off normal surveillance. The lights pulsed softly in an array of hues, each one unique in its coloring such as soothing indigo, a soft mint, or a vibrant violet. Beside each light was a tag, the codes of the unit's respective parasites clear for all to see. But, it was the light that pulsed a savage crimson that caught their attention. They all knew without reading the tag which Franxx _that_ represented.

"Is that... _Strelizia?!_ What is she doing so far away from the front lines?"

Papa chuckled, as if this was no surprise to him at all. "Indeed it is. Our little hellcat has gone far off track, which is what I usually expect from her." The council members relaxed a little. Strelizia was very important to APE's overall goals, and perhaps this was even more true for her pistil. But, if Papa was was content with her situation then all was more than likely going to plan. " _But,_ " he said with a seriousness that caused the sages to tense. His throne finally rotated to face them all. "What concerns me greatly is something else entirely. _Why?_ Why did she go into Plantation 26? She should have been content to stay on the front lines..."

"I believe I know why." Baboon spoke for the first time in that particular council meeting. He was always reserved, playing his cards close to his chest. He rarely spoke, only opening his mouth to impart his opinion on the matter at hand before lapsing again into silence. Which is why he was head of APE intelligence. Baboon's entire occupation revolved around him listening, gathering information, and then reporting it to Papa. He was well suited to such work. If something happened within humanity's civilization, whether its cause be accidental or malicious intent, he was the first to know; though Papa would be next in line. "Those other Franxx units within Plantation 26 belong to Plantation 13's defensive squad. The special subject's squad. I believe it safe to assume that Code 002 was attracted to them; perhaps she is even seeking out her previous partner, Code 016. She did take quite a liking to him after all."

"Hmm." Papa reclined back into his chair, thinking hard. "I believe you to be correct, my colleague. Though, she couldn't possibly have known that they were rerouted to Plantation 26's defense- not in her current state. The manner in which she derived such knowledge is unknown to us. Nonetheless, the issue still stands; what are we to do about her?" He threw his hands in the air, feigning exasperation at the girl's actions; the very image of a weary father.

The vice-chairman answered Papa, "It's far too late to redeploy a Franxx company unless we commit more reserves; though such an action is sure to leave our remaining plantations horribly vulnerable. I suggest we approve the deployment of the S.T.A.R.R.S."

"The S.T.A.R.R.S? We cannot authorize such a deployment; the prototypes are untested and the parasites un-blooded. To employ them now would be folly, especially given the current situation!" Gorilla sliced his hand through the air, his will adamantly opposed to such a brash action.

"I disagree. Now is the _perfect_ time to deploy them. What better way to test our newest warriors than a true trial by fire?" Said the vice-chairman.

"You can't be serious! Those parasites may be the same age as Plantation Defense Squad 13, but they have no actual experience. They have only ever fought simulated battles!" Gorilla took a deep breath, clearly he was running out of logical arguments to throw against the council. What more could he say to make them see reason? "If you send those children into battle they will die." He said with a finality that he hoped would end the discussion.

"You make a good point, my old colleague. But, what use are they to us if they can't handle this exact type of situation? It's what we created the squad for. Is it not? And besides-" Papa's hands danced across his control panel and the view shifted down several streets until it reached the area where the parasites had been ambushed. Two grey orbs hung lifeless in the air. "-We have two 9 Models KIA already. Squad 13 can no longer complete the mission, not on their own. If we don't send in a response team then _they_ will die as well. And no one wants that, do we?"

Gorilla was defeated. He did not wish for more parasites to die, but he could see no way out of this. All that was left to do was to go forward. "Fine then. What would you have me do?"

Papa smiled behind his mask. "Prepare the squad. I've already authorized their deployment with the hanger and their Franxxs should be getting prepped to launch. This is their final trial and first real mission; make sure they understand that failure means death for them. I want that Klaxosaur _alive_."

"It will be done."

* * *

Code S337 was ecstatic; though he controlled it well. His hands were clasped tightly behind his back as he stood at parade rest, his fellow stamen arrayed in a line to his left. He proudly stood first in line, closest to the briefing podium, as was his honor as the squad's leader.

Across from the line of stamen stood their partners, the pistils mirroring the boys in their statuesque posture. His eyes briefly met his partner's eyes. He saw only a cold and uncompromising gaze set within those stormcloud-grey eyes. He knew behind that uncrackable face though was a warrior that fought with unparalleled skill and undauntable resolution.

A whistle sounded and the door to their briefing hall opened. The parasites of both genders snapped to attention, backs ramrod straight and hands clasped tightly to the seam of their trousers; or rather where the seam would be if they were wearing such clothing. Their skintight parasite suits offered no such eccentricities. A massive adult swathed in white robes walked through, his face was hidden behind a mask shaped like an ancient primate. This was no simple adult though. This was a member of the Seven Sages, and was known as Gorilla; though Code S337 had only ever called him Sir, or referred to him as 'the Sage'. He stood all the straighter in order to impress the Sage he respected so much. Two armed adults entered alongside him as well, weapons clasped tightly to their chests; although they remained behind to flank the doorway.

The Sage walked down the corridor of parasites; though his face did not turn, his eyes surely wandered behind that ornate mask. S337 knew that the Sage was inspecting them as he passed by, eyeing them all with his critical gaze. Considering that he proceeded to the end of the line without incident it was safe to assume he had not found them wanting.

"At ease, cadets." He said as he continued to a small podium stationed at the end of their briefing hall. The children allowed themselves to relax by returning to parade rest. Their bodies remained disciplined though and not a single muscle was granted leave to slouch. Only their heads turned towards the Sage. Discipline first, discipline always. So they had been taught.

"The importance of your mission today cannot be understated. This will be your first live-fire trial run, as well as your final test. Succeed, and you will be considered proper parasites. Fail, and you will be forgotten." He let the statement hang in the air. He had always been blunt, but honest with them. S337 had appreciated that. But, to hear such finality within the Sage's voice was... concerning.

"But, I know you will not fail. I have watched you all through your training. From the very beginning, and up unto this day I have guided each and every one of you to the best of my abilities. You are the finest warriors I have ever trained, and you are the future of humanity. Fight for your comrade next to you and you shall _taste_ victory. Fight for humanity on this day and you shall _see_ victory. Fight for Papa and you shall _know_ victory!" He said with such conviction that it stunned the children. They had never heard him speak so encouragingly before. To be fair, they had never actually heard him speak with any sort of strong emotion before. His speech, though short, steeled their hearts and minds with a faithful resolve that would see them through this battle.

They would never waver.

"Now, if you turn your attention to the viewing screen behind me you will see the situation." And just like that he became a distant teacher once more, no longer did he speak with a fire within his heart. He didn't need to though. He had kindled something within all of them.

They would not break.

The tactical display behind him lit up, neon orange lines stitching neatly across a pitch black surface. S337 recognized it as the standard layout for an APE plantation. "This is Plantation 26 and will be the site of your first real battle. Approximately seventeen minutes ago a new breed of Klaxosaur surfaced that is wholly unique in its behavior and design. This Klaxosaur has been designated as an entirely new class- the Praetorian class. This new class is defined by intelligence, speed, and strength never before seen in a Klaxosaur; it is perhaps even more dangerous than the larger Gutenburg class. Because of the obvious danger it presents, Papa wants it taken alive for further research and study. It has already engaged and destroyed several Franxx units, to include two 9 Models and a plantation defense squad."

The children were caught completely by surprise by the sudden flow of information. Only a slight widening of their eyes betrayed their internal confusion and shock. _Two_ Nines had already been bested? How was that even possible? They had all heard tales of that legendary squad over the past two years; although, really, who hadn't heard of such legends? The Niness were often a subject of study within their classes, once they were even graced with a live-stream of a Nine's battle-feed as he had fought against a Gutenberg, defeating the monster single-handedly. Such perfection of the art of war was to be admired, even worshiped. The Nines had long ago set a standard for his squad, and the Sage had driven them hard every day in order to pass it; they had been pushed to their limit by his grueling trails, sometimes even dangerously so, but they had emerged triumphant and all the stronger for it. Now it would seem that such intensity had been absolutely necessary.

"As we speak, the target is currently engaged in a running battle with Plantation Defense Squad 13 within Plantation 26, however their current state is unknown due to disruptive communications and heavy casualties are to be expected. A Gutenberg class has also made an appearance and Plantation 26 has officially been written off as lost."

The presence of Squad 13 was a surprise to S337. How they had ended up in Plantation 26 was a question he would be sure to ask them once they officially met. Assuming he and his squad could reinforce them in time. He sincerely hoped that all of them lived.

"But, that is not all. Code 002 has also been confirmed within the area." Their surprise increased tenfold. They were being thrown directly into the most dramatic conflict they could possibly imagine. An hour ago they would've been unable to even dream of such a fight. "We believe she has engaged the Praetorian in single combat. Your mission is simple. Ensure Strelizia's and Code 002's safety and then secure the Praetorian; after that, extract them safely from Plantation 26. All other concerns are secondary. Understood?"

"Yes, sir." They chorused together as one. S337 had doubts though, and as the squad's leader he had a right- no, a _duty-_ to voice them. And voice them he did.

"Sir, what about Defense Squad 13?"

Most other adults would have dismissed his question. They would have simply told him to focus on the mission at hand and ignore everything else. But not the Sage. It was one of the reasons why S337 respected him so much. He treated them like they were living beings. "If you can extract them you are free to do so. If not, then don't waste time or lives. Strelizia, Code 002, and the Praetorian class are your priority above all else." Grim, but fair. War was about tough calls after all. He would ensure they completed their mission, but privately he vowed he would save Squad 13. He owed them that much. They were his heroes after all.

"No other questions? Good. You will be deploying via Starfall, again this will be your first time doing so in a live scenario, but I have no doubt you will succeed. Once on the ground you will be on your own, as I mentioned before, long-range communications are down. S337 and S428 have field command. Your Franxxs have already been fully equipped for this mission, standard S.T.A.R.R.S loadout. You leave the station in five minutes." And with that the Sage walked back down the isle, the parasites snapping to attention on either side. He paused at the doorway and turned his head. "Good luck." He muttered, a completely uncharacteristic action for one of his manner. And then he left, his guard detail following swiftly behind.

The parasites held the position of attention for another solid moment before bursting into a flurry of activity, their discipline melting in the face of a child's psyche. They were already suited up and technically could have left within a minute, but they had five minutes and they would use them. So, each parasite team looked over their partner, ensuring their gear was solid and in working order.

Their gear differed from standard parasite loadout in that the stamen was issued a helmet as well, a thin, digitized visor covering their eyes and providing a secondary display for tactical information. The pistils were equipped with the same gear as every pistil was, albeit in a solid black bodysuit that seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it.

His partner- S428- walked up to him, her heels tapping lightly upon the deck as she looked up into his eyes. He had always enjoyed her company, though she could be a bit... thoughtless. No, that wasn't the right word. Distant was more appropriate. She didn't read people or social situations well, preferring to interact with them as little as she possibly could. Which was completely fine with him. She was excellent as a pistil; quick-witted in tactical situations and a damn near perfect combat score. That was all that he could ever ask for in a partner.

"Are you ready?" She asked. Short and to the point as always. This was not something she asked out of friendship, it was simply necessary for their partnership. She couldn't do her job if he couldn't do his.

"Yeah. How about you?"

She held out a hand, palm up and open. He placed his helmet within her grasp and she took it; quickly turning it over and inspecting it. This was a ritual between them that had formed on their very first training session. He had thought it silly at first, that she wouldn't trust him to look after his own gear. But it had grown on him and was impossible to stop now. It was quite odd as well, since she trusted him in every other aspect. It no longer served a purpose, and that had made him wonder as to _why_ she still did it. S428 never did anything that wasn't absolutely necessary.

Seemingly satisfied with his helmet, she handed it back to him and he took it wordlessly, stowing it beneath his arm. He smiled. She did not. He spoke. "So, you want me to check your gear." She didn't say a word. She turned and walked towards the exit, heels clicking on the metal deck. He always asked that question for it was his portion of the ritual. She never failed to upend her portion either and offered the same answer she always had. Silence. He hurried after her, leaving the rest of the squad to finish their preparations. They would meet the time-hack without their designated leaders peering over their shoulders. They always had.

They were the first parasite team to enter the hanger, strutting out and onto the catwalk suspended within the massive expanse. They only needed to walk to the first Franxx in line, the machine sharing in the honor as the lead mount by occupying such a spot. S337 looked upon the magnificent mech that he would soon be piloting into combat.

The Franxx was called Andromeda, and she was supremely beautiful to his eyes. She was solid black, dressed in that same light-absorbing pigment as the pistils' body suits. Dark crimson trimmed her edges, the color of congealed blood. A nest of omnidirectional thrusters clustered her waistline, perched just above her long legs that hid a set of prototype maneuvering thrusters within them. She was lightly armored, designed for a swift, lethal engagement instead of a drawn-out affair. Crimson spikes protruded from her elbows, knuckles, knees, shoulders, and even several random points across the chassis. A crown of smaller such spikes ringed the mech's head. She looked exquisite. And deadly. _Very_ deadly.

He heard the rest of his squad enter the hanger, their heeled and booted feet clacking and thudding on the catwalk. He knew they were out of time. S428 entered the Franxx wordlessly as S337 turned to his squadmates. "See you all on the other side." He sketched a salute, his fingers rising to his temple; a completely unnecessary action as the parasites had no real officers except for the Sages. In fact, technically speaking, the S.T.A.R.R. squad wasn't even part of the Parasite Corps. Several of the parasites returned the salute, some seriously and others sarcastically.

"Come on. Stop wasting time." S428 said from within the Franxx as she mounted the pistil's cradle.

S337 turned towards his Franxx and climbed aboard, venturing into its dark interior.

* * *

I was alone. That unavoidable fact was made especially clear to me now as I frantically searched in vain for the other, and found naught but emptiness. So be it. That had been the way of my life for some time, and I was all the stronger for it. Who did I need? No one. Who did I care for? No one. Who was able to hold me back? _No one_.

The other was gone, most likely merely a temporary situation as it is quite difficult to leave your own body while it still lives. They had been driven away by the gauntlet of pain our gestalt form had endured during the opening moments of the fight. It hadn't been an instant abandonment; their consciousness had slowly melted away with every blow done to us, and gradually they had surrendered their control of the body until only I was left holding the reigns.

I had stayed because I did not run from pain. I had long ago learned to embrace it; to make it personal; to let it flow through me, fueling my hatred. And with that hatred, I did the only thing that had ever made sense to me. The only thing that had ever mattered in my wretched life. I got up and I fought. And as I fought I suffered more, but I didn't care. What was more pain to one such as I? Mere fuel for the flames. I was laughing on the inside as my body, yes _my_ body for only I was present, was impaled, sliced, burned, slammed, rammed, and even buried. And all the while I laughed within myself at the futility of their resistance. Despite their best efforts, they couldn't avoid the simple truth. _I was winning_.

Through a hazy red film of rage, the fight played through my vision. I acted with little thought or reason. All that mattered was that I fought. Style became irrelevant. Methods were abandoned. My sanity was forgotten as reality blurred and I no longer cared who or what I fought. There was no longer any overarching plan of attack nor did I ever consider defensive action for more than a split-second. But that all changed when _she_ finally arrived. And at long last, I had found my purpose in that sorry excuse for a city.

* * *

Deep within the confines of Plantation 26, two alpha predators stared each other down as they met face-to-face, separated only by several hundred meters of a rubble strewn street. One appeared unerringly human; the other had lost any such pretense of civility. Ichigo found with mounting horror she couldn't decide which was the true monster now. A moment passed and neither beast moved, the air heavy with tension as the entities silently sized each other up.

"Chlorophytum," Ichigo whispered across the channel, as if speaking aloud would signal the beginning of the fight. "Are you able to move at all?"

"Negative. We have comms and E-lighting. Life support is down as well. It's getting pretty stuffy in here too. Nothing else worth mentioning besides the emergency caches." Without power the outside air wouldn't be filtered in. Ichigo doubted that would become a real problem, but it would make it an uncomfortable area to sit and wait out a battle.

"Damnit. Argentea, are you still within the area?" Ichigo whispered again. None of the parasites seemed willing to raise their voice above a whisper, despite the impossibility of the Klaxosaur actually hearing them.

"Uh, yeah of course! Why wouldn't we be?" Miku asked incredulously. What type of question was that? What were they going to do? Abandon their squad? _Sheesh._

"Do your best to extract Chlorophytum."

Miku rogered up across the net; though she hadn't the faintest idea on how to accomplish Argentea's allotted task. Hands would be a nice start. But Miku never got the easy jobs.

Argentea approached the street with extreme caution. They had been used as a decoy to lure the Klaxosaur away, which was all fine and dandy for Zorome, but now the objective was to sneak past it. A feat which was damn near impossible for a forty-meter tall machine. But Zorome had the luck of a fool.

The Klaxosaur screamed, its volume ear-splitting even to those shielded within a Franxx, and then it charged Strelizia. It battered through the street, completely ignoring all of its previous opponents as it became dead set on intercepting Strelizia.

"Well, at least it's distracted." Zorome shrugged and guided Argentea quickly to Chlorophytum's side, Strelizia's arrival providing an excellent distraction; though for how long that would last remained to be seen. Both parasites immediately began to brainstorm the quickest way to extract their paralyzed comrade.

"Zero Tsu!" Hiro yelled and spurred his gunship forward, abandoning Delphinium. The engines threatened to overheat as he poured power into them, his own safety forgotten as he rushed to fight alongside his partner. He couldn't let her fight alone anymore. He swore she would never fight alone again, at least not as long as he lived.

"Hiro!" Ichigo cried aloud as Hiro sped off to aid Zero Tsu in his ill-advised attack run. Goro simply shook his head at his friend's ridiculous and foolhardy action; though if he was honest with himself Hiro _was_ becoming ever more predictable these days, at least in terms of his rash actions. So, whose fault was it really? Hiro's, for doing anything for the one he loved? Or his friends, who really should have tied him down in a chair and left him alone? Somehow Goro couldn't shake the feeling that he was partly to blame.

The gunship flew in from the Klaxosaur's rear, struggling to catch the beast as it sped forwards on its own attack run in order to engage Strelizia; whom had abandoned her perch atop the rubble and was hurtling down the street to clash with the creature. The two monsters hurried to meet each other; claws flexed or were unsheathed, talons bit deep into concrete, and jaws filled with rows of razor-sharp teeth were bared in a savage display of primordial hatred.

Hiro fired his last pair of missiles as the two leaped at each other. Two thin steaks of fire followed the missiles until they impacted upon the creature's back, igniting its flesh in that all-consuming chemical fire just as the behemoths crashed together in a terrible sound of wrenching metal and ripping 'flesh'. Both combatants were lost in a tangle of limbs, shrouded further behind a dark cloud that poured off the Klaxosaur as it burned. The flames had little chance of spreading to Strelizia, or at least Hiro hoped so.

The parasites watched the battle, enraptured by what tiny morsels of the epic struggle they could glimpse from the miasma of ash and dust. Except for the sounds. They heard those, clear as crystal. Buildings shattered, metal spurs snapping like twigs beneath the immense weight of the combatants. Pavement cracked like ice beneath thunderous blows that had missed their intended target. Metal crunched like stale bread as some of those titanic blows landed true. And the screeching; it never stopped. Not even for a single moment. And not a single human could tell which one made the noise, if indeed it was _only_ one that made it. The smoke made it impossible to tell for sure.

Argentea was finally able to hook Chlorophytum's arm awkwardly around their own head, imaginatively utilizing the locked arm to extract the Franxx. They awkwardly dragged their comrades behind them, away from the dueling monsters. "Why...do you... have to be... so _heavy_...," Miku managed between breaths as the strain of towing a Franxx weighed her down.

Hiro hovered above the entangled combatants, waiting for an opportunity to exploit. He had to find a way to board Strelizia. And that was no easy feat, especially in a combat zone. The Klaxosaur burst from the cloud, its back still smoking heavily as it twisted its torso violently. He saw it was dra- _no! No! No! **NO!**_

He saw the entire act in slow motion, every dreadful frame searing into his mind, nay, his very _soul_. The creature had ahold of Strelizia's tail as it rushed forward, hauling the still struggling Franxx behind it. With one mighty swing it flung Strelizia in an overhead arc and smashed her into the ground, the Franxx becoming the center of a small impact crater. Hiro's heart went still as she stopped moving. The _entire_ world around him went still as he struggled to process what had just happened.

Strelizia had been bested in combat.

The Klaxosaur, that monstrous aberration, was breathing heavily as it leaned over Strelizia. Its chest expanded mightily as it sucked in lungfuls of air while its back smoldered as the flames fluttered and died out. The creature stomped a foot onto the fallen Franxx and reared its head back. It let loose with a primal roar, deep and drawn out as the creature claimed its dominance for all to see.

The creature's arrogance sickened Hiro. He hated it. He hated the beast more than anything he had ever hated in his entire life. Deep within himself he found that curious, as he had never actually hated something before. He had become frustrated with things before, but he had never known something this pure. This absolutely, unadulterated _hatred_ for another living being.

The gunship dived steeply with a roar of engines. Hiro let loose with the prow-gun, sending a fusillade of high caliber rounds into the Klaxosaur. Solid lead bounced ineffectually off the armored hide. The gunship pulled up at the last moment, sailing upwards and threatening to stall before turning and diving once more. Another useless chatter of machine gun fire sounded from the gunship.

The Klaxosaur ignored the gunship, eyes focused entirely upon the prostrate robot before it. It reached down, claws grasping for Strelizia's neck. It hauled the machine up before inspecting its latest conquest.

Strelizia had gone entirely limp. Zero Tsu's condition was unknown, but clearly, she was no longer active. Another pass from the gunship went by as the creature gently shook the Franxx, as if it were attempting to coax a response from her. She remained unresponsive.

Unlike the other units it had dispatched, the Klaxosaur didn't claim the machine's head as its personal trophy. It didn't deliver a killing blow to ensure she would not rise again. Instead, it turned away, hauling Strelizia by the neck as it began to saunter in the direction of the breach. The parasites could do nothing but watch as the Klaxosaur hauled Strelizia to some uncertain fate.

As Ichigo watched the Klaxosaur haul its prize away, conflicting emotions warred within her. Some were born of the noblest and purest intentions. _Intervene and save her._ These ones said. Others were of a far darker nature. _Leave her to her fate. Claim Hiro as your own_. Her very soul felt revolted by such thoughts; to even think of such horribleness was anathema to her. But they were still her thoughts. The poison called jealousy had leaked in, finding that weakness within her that every true human was afflicted with. She was abhorred at her own mind, betrayed by her very emotions. How could she have labeled Zero Tsu a monster so readily when she was all too willing to abandon her former comrade? She felt sickened at herself. But at least she finally understood what she had to do.

Delphinium gently laid Genista upon the street; taking great care so as to not cause her any more damage.

"Ichigo? What are we doing?" Goro asked with a sneaking suspicion.

"What we _have_ to do," Ichigo replied as she drew Delphinium's remaining blade. They began to limp down the street, approaching the Klaxosaur from behind with a broken magma blade in hand. Argentea saw them coming.

"Hey! What are you guys doing? You can't be that moronic?!" Zorome asked.

Delphinium continued to limp, but she slowly began to pick up speed. Her dead leg thudded uselessly upon the ground as she transferred into a stumbling gait. Ichigo was determined to meet the Klaxosaur and pushed her Franxx harder and harder, far past the limit of its wounded state. Warning sirens sounded within as subsystems overloaded and were promptly dismissed by Goro. Metal creaked alarming within their single working leg as it endured the full weight of the unit. Thrusters warmed to readiness as they prepared for one final, clumsy hurdle into combat.

"COME ON YOU MONSTER! FACE ME!" Ichigo yelled as Delphinium stumbled past Argentea at a frightening pace. The pink Franxx would be unable to assist, overburdened with Chlorophytum as she already was. The battle would be horribly one-sided.

"FACE US! YOU BASTARD!" Goro yelled as he was caught up in Ichigo's battle hunger. He was just as eager to plunge once again into combat; although he knew within himself that it would likely be their last time. He found comfort in the fact that his last moments would be spent with Ichigo. He couldn't help but to smile at the futility of it all.

The Klaxosaur continued its unhurried retreat. It showed no sign of noticing Hiro's gunship as it strafed time and time again. It didn't even slow as Delphinium chased after it. And why would it? Even as they hurried after it at their maxed crippled pace it still managed to outpace them, despite its heavy haul. It seemed as if Strelizia was a goner, for no one could possibly intervene. Until fate did just that.

The sky cracked open with a wrenching sound and debris rained down from above as something massive punched through the plantation's ceiling; it plunged down into the street, impacting between Delphinium and the Klaxosaur with bone-jarring force. The Klaxosaur finally ceased its marching in order to turn towards this new development.

At first, Goro had merely assumed it to be the plantation itself collapsing, but as the smoke cleared and the object was revealed, he realized that was not entirely accurate. Instead, the object appeared to be some sort of pod, taller than a Franxx and much wider. It glowed white-hot from its entry as steam rose in hissing clouds from it.

Red lights flashed alarmingly atop it and the entire pod shuddered as something moved within it. Decompressing hisses sounded as its sides split apart and then were wrenched violently away by the pod's occupant. The cargo stepped away from their pod, heeled foot moving clear of the grasping stabilizing gel all Franxxs were docked in.

 _Wait. What? A Franxx?_ Goro had to stare for a moment to realize that his eyes were not deceiving him. A Franxx had actually just walked out of a pod from the sky; though it was unlike any Franxx he had ever encountered before.

The machine stood at least a head taller than his own Franxx and was far broader. Upon its right shoulder was mounted a long-barreled weapon of sorts whilst the other shoulder sported a pod filled to the brim with crimson-tipped missiles. The Franxx didn't even have proper hands, instead its left arm tapered off to a dual muzzle dripping with a bright liquid. It's right ended in a wide-mouthed barrel surrounded by three metal prongs that flexed open in a crude mimicry of fingers. The chest was more heavily armored than he had ever seen on a Franxx, which gave the impression that it was not designed with aerial agility in mind. Despite this, it possessed two large clusters of downward-pointing thrusters upon its back. A dark iron chassis trimmed with rust-red finery complemented the machine's warlike appearance.

"Who the hell is that?" He asked as they studied the new arrival.

" _What_ the hell is it?" His partner asked as Delphinium stopped dead in their tracks, unwilling to advance any further. The new Franxx turned to look at them. A digital smile splitting its face wide, but its eyes were hidden behind an array of specialized sights, range finders, and other various sensory apparatus whose nature could not be easily discerned.

"The cavalry is here."

* * *

Code S047 continued her grin as she turned Orion back towards the prey. She frowned though as her vision became swamped by an overload of numbers and details as the sensory system gathered a staggeringly unnecessary amount of detail about the environment. She had calibrated the settings within the simulations, adjusting it to her personal preference. But now it would seem she would have to do so again after this battle because someone must have restored her settings to default. There was far too much shit in the way now. What did she care about the elemental makeup of an ash particle drifting upon the wind? Or the density of a building's foundation? Not at all. She only cared about her job. And she _loved_ her job.

Orion flexed the prongs surrounding her cannon as the weapon began to warm up, a low hum building from within as power coursed through its internals. Code S199 idly hummed along with it as he tapped through various menus upon his stamen console as he ensured the other weapon systems were in working order. He checked the magmaphex caster that replaced their left arm and was satisfied to find it fully operational. _Good. That would satisfy her._ It was her favorite 'toy' within their myriad arsenal. His finger slid across the screen; several missiles within their shoulder rack were primed instantly.

The Klaxosaur wasn't idle as its new enemy prepared. Its body began to heal; its false face scabbing over the grisly skull, finally banishing that ghastly sight from the parasites' vision. Its left leg began to shed 'skin' in vast amounts, flaking and occasionally sloughing off like snow melting in the sun as it slowly returned to normal size. Even its tri-clawed hand split back into its original, five-digit form. As the monster regressed to its 'normal' state it gently laid Strelizia upon the ground in a surprising show of tenderness and restraint that bordered on the realm of what S047 would classify as 'giving a shit.'

S199 opened up a channel with Andromeda, their advanced communications system piercing through the local interference with ease. "Andromeda, Andromeda, this is Orion. How copy? Over."

S337, Andromeda's stamen, answered. "Andromeda here. Solid copy, Orion. I see you landed some distance away." This was true. S199 saw that they had indeed landed almost four klicks distant from lead. And they were the closest to the objective of their entire squad! "Yeah, we got lucky and landed near the targ-,"

S047 cut in, "We practically flattened it! Just a few more meters and... _splat!_ It has Strelizia though, so maybe it's for the best we didn't land on it. Moving to engage now." Both stamen could hear the eagerness within her voice.

S199 sighed internally as his partner strained to be unleashed. This was how _every_ training simulation had begun throughout their entire career. At first, he had tried to stop her, to reel her back in and control her. But after the fifth or sixth time, he had just gotten tired of it all and simply decided to embrace her wildness. As long as he could point her in the right direction he was generally satisfied with their performance. But, more importantly, Papa was satisfied as well.

Andromeda's pistil spoke, her voice measured with authority. "Stand down, Orion. Our orders are to _secure_ the Praetorian. Not _terminate_ it. You understand the difference, correct?"

"Oh, I understand alright. But that is not going to stop me from having a little fun first!" S199 rolled his eyes as he paid close attention to the Klaxosaur. The creature was already making its way down the street, slowly increasing speed as its mutated leg continued to revert in the most revolting fashion possible to a 'normal' state.

"You will _not_ engage without the rest of the squad present. Do _you_ understand, S047?" She demanded.

"Ugh, fiiiine. I understand...," she was silent for a moment. "Wait! Shit! It's coming right at us!" S199 had never heard her sound happier. Well, actually, there had been that first time they had ridden Orion in a live trial exercise and she had made the fascinating discovery that their default left arm had been substituted for their signature magmaphex caster. That had been one hell of a day.

He squelched the channel on her behalf before Andromeda could respond, knowing full well that nothing more productive would come from that conversation. It's not like he had any other options either. The Praetorian _was_ technically in the process of charging them. His after-action report would reflect such a fact as well. He would cover for his partner. "You know, you're going to get reprimanded one of these days."

S047 shrugged Orion's shoulders. "Maybe. But not today. It's our first live mission, which means at worst it will be a verbal warning. Now, let's fight."

 _Shit,_ thought S199. She was probably right about that. He had little time to ponder such thoughts though as the target approached them. "So, how do you want to handle this?" He asked knowing full well her response.

"Dirty." She responded.

 _Nailed it._

Orion swung her right arm up just as the Klaxosaur entered the optimal firing range. The weapon's humming built to a crescendo within moments; its prongs whirled madly around the barrel as the wail of sound peaked. Audio dampeners within the cockpit kicked in, cutting off the exterior world and all its audible horros so as to preserve the parasites' hearing. S199 performed the final authorization for the weapon before letting his partner take control. S047 grinned as the Klaxosaur initiated its leap and she fired the weapon.

The weapon kicked and a wave of rippling, sonic energy tore through the air, distorting it wildly. The sonic assault hurtled into the Praetorian just as it left the ground and the creature crumpled beneath the attack mid-flight- its limbs folding in as it instinctively curled to protect its under-belly- and was thrown backwards by the immense force. It carved a deep furrow into the street as it plowed through the concrete for several hundred meters until it finally came to rest in a tangle of shattered limbs and dented armor.

S199 idly noticed an APE gunship clumsily hovering about above the prone Strelizia. _A recovery team already?_ It was a miracle that the gunship had weathered the discharge of the sonic weapon. They must have been quite the lucky pilot. But, they must have been quite the madman as well to have entered the combat zone willingly. Papa must have been supremely worried about Strelizia and its pistil in order for him to authorize such a mission. He dismissed the vehicle as irrelevant, despite the pilot's bravery, as the Klaxosaur shifted upon the ground.

The Praetorian was already picking itself back up. Its limbs cracking painfully as they readjusted and reformed in a gruesome spectacle of unnatural regeneration fueled by whatever hellish energy had birthed the abomination. 'Blood' seeped from multiple wounds, bubbling as it dripped onto the concrete. Its face had split again, the mask it wore cracked and hanging from the sides. He watched in morbid fascination as such a wound was undone in an absolutely revolting fashion that made his skin crawl. They had been warned of its fearsome regenerative abilities, but this was on another level entirely.

"Now _that_ is absolutely disgusting," S047 said, always the one to speak her mind. He didn't disagree in the slightest with her assessment though.

"Is my toy ready?" She asked.

He smiled lightly. He had already anticipated her reaction. "It is indeed." The Klaxosaur was moving steadily forward, placing one quivering leg in front of the other. The skin re-knit itself before his very eyes. S922 would absolutely _loathe_ this thing once he saw it.

"Give it to me." She demanded as the Praetorian neared them at a cautious pace, wary of their weaponry. It was worrying to see that it had learned so quickly. Such a trait as 'intelligence' was normally unheard of within Klaxosaurs. They adapted their bodies, not their behavior.

"What's the magic word?" He taunted. He loved to taunt her. She would always become so frustrated with him. But she would cave in eventually. She needed his permission to activate the weapon systems after all, which made their Franxx wholly unique as they had something that not a single other parasite team had within their squad: restrictions. In order to utilize their incredibly powerful arsenal, S047 had to receive authorization from her stamen. This served a dual functionality. The first, was that their highly powerful arsenal was employed correctly and efficiently. The second reason was much more simple, and could even be considered embarrassing had S199 possessed any sort of pride; his partner simply couldn't be trusted with such weaponry without burning down the city. This is why he teased her though, in order to show her that she was still responsible for her actions. The fact that he took a small amount of pleasure in the act was a mere... coincidence.

She nearly growled. "Give me my damn weapon."

"Not until you say please." He wiggled his finger in the air; though she couldn't possibly see it. He noticed the Klaxosaur was getting too close for comfort and his finger punched in a command. Two missiles were sent flying from their shoulder, one of each heading for the Praetorian's knees. They were designed to crack through the toughest armor. He dearly hoped they were up to the task. Two bright explosions at the creature's knees sent it tumbling face first to the ground, his fears dissipating alongside the glorious sight.

"Give. Me. My. Damn. **Weapon!** " He could hear her teeth grinding together. _Oh, she was so much fun._

"Not until you say please."

She growled this time. Actually _growled_ at him. "If you don't give me my damned weapon I'm going to shove it so far up your ass that-," the list of expletives continued and became so imaginative that it was only rivaled by its length.

 _Oh, she was really getting pissed! Maybe he had taken it a bit too far..._

"Oh, dear," he said dramatically, "where _are_ your manners?" The Praetorian punched a clawed hand into the ground, pushing itself up one-handed. He saw its legs had already repaired the damage done. He fired two more missiles, attempting to achieve the same effect as before. He wasn't so lucky though. The creature timed its dodge perfectly; rolling to the side as the missiles sailed past to impact violently, but uselessly, upon the ground. This Praetorian truly was a cut above the average Klaxosaur.

He heard her sigh as the fight left her, the threat of an inbound enemy too great to ignore. "Please...," she spoke with something approaching desperation within her voice. He considered it for a moment; though in truth he had already decided to give her control. The Praetorian was fast approaching after all, and they still had a job to do.

"See? Was that _so_ hard?" He teased before switching to his serious tone. "Magmaphex caster is all your's." He keyed in the command that would arm the weapon and allow her to utilize it at her own discretion. He idly wondered how long it would take for things to get out of hand.

S047 giggled like a child as she felt Orion's left arm surge with power. _Finally!_ She finally had what she required to have some _real_ fun. She hated when her partner did that to her. 'Restrict her', as if she were some sort of hound that had to be leashed. So what if she had gone a bit 'overboard' with the magmaphex once or twice? No one had even been injured. Well, not seriously. They were training sessions anyways. _So what was the big deal?!_

The Praetorian was nearing them, limbs pounding into the ground as it dropped to all fours to cover the distance between them. _Perfect._ She wouldn't even have to move Orion into engagement range. She raised their left arm, feeling that surge of energy as the magmaphex wound its way through the complicated array of chemically-shielded tubes that led into the dual-barrels of the weapon. The target entered her firing range, but she didn't unleash her toy. _Not yet._

"Uhm. S047, it's getting kinda close. Don't you think we should fire?" He had the audacity now to imply she should rush her attack. What a _wuss_. Where was the fun if she kept it at bay? Nonexistent, that's where it was.

"Partner...?" _Not yet._

"S047...?" _Not yet. Just a little bit longer..._

"S047!" _Not yet. Just a liiiiiiittle bit more..._

"KILL IT DAMNIT!" _So bossy!_ Well, if he insisted so hard then who was she to deny him?

S047 finally flung the gates open; the energy behind the magmaphex caster erupting in a torrent of chemical fire that bathed the entirety of the street in iridescent flame. The street blackened beneath the wave; the buildings' metal supports- what was left of them- curled in the intense conflagration as the flames consumed all within their path. The Praetorian was no exception to their hunger, and as it caught aflame it howled in a pain that no creature had ever had the displeasure of experiencing before.

The creature fell back, rolling upon the ground and slapping at the flames in an unnervingly, human-like way. The flames continued to eat their way through its flesh; though they largely ignored the armored plates, guttering out and dying before they could even find purchase. And all the while it screamed its agony to the world.

S047 had never heard such sounds before. The simulations had never cried out in pain before, and fighting them felt... cold and emotionless. Sometimes fun, but never fulfilling. But, this thing's screams were like music to her ears, as its voice rose and fell in harmony to the dancing flames. _This_ was job satisfaction at its highest rate. And she hadn't even gotten to the _good_ part.

She activated Orion's magma blades, the bright, orange short-swords punching free from their sheathes housed upon the barrels of both weapon-arms. Each blade resembled an antique combat knife, serrated on one side and honed to a killing edge upon the other. Short, heavy, and versatile they were the ideal weapons of choice for a close-quarters battle. Now the real fun would truly begin.

"Remember, S047, we need it alive. Restrain yourself." _Yeah yeah,_ she remembered. But, it's not like the Praetorian needed _all_ of its limbs. It would be fine as just a head and torso. That was still _technically_ alive, right?

Orion approached the thrashing Klaxosaur slowly, its pistil unhurried and completely content to watch the show. The Praetorian convulsed in a particularly violent fashion, its spine- if it actually had such a structure- arching painfully before the entire creature suddenly and without warning ceased its every movement. They pulled up short, staring at the smoldering corpse. Was it... _dead?_

"Uhm. _What_?" S047 couldn't believe it. What a tease it was! All this hype, all this preparation, and the thing had the _audacity_ to die on her! Not only was her mission a failure now, but her own sadistic desires would now go unfulfilled.

"You killed it...," muttered her partner in the most dead tone imaginable.

"Uh, no. _We_ killed it. Remember you're my partner. And I _totally_ didn't mean to! How was I supposed to know the thing was this fragile? The mission brief literally told us the exact _opposite_."

"Well, it doesn't matter now. What is done is done. The least we can do now is gather the team and finish off that Gutenberg. Maybe Papa will spare us punishment if we save the plantation. Besides, we still technically have the corpse. Maybe they can find something useful with that."

She shrugged Orion's shoulders. "I guess you're right. Better open up the chan-," S047 never finished her sentence as without warning the Praetorian revived and launched itself at them, moving with a speed never before seen in its kind. Neither parasite even had time to react, they simply yelled in surprise when their view was overcome by a still-burning, half-mutated abomination.

"What the-!" S047 scrambled to bring her weaponry to bear as the creature attacked them with a savage ferocity; claws digging at them desperately as its jaws clamped down around their cockpit. The metal groaned beneath the intense pressure exerted by the monstrous maw, but held firm. As far as she knew Orion was the largest and most heavily armored Franxx ever built by human hands and she was incredibly thankful for such a fact at that moment. She could feel its claws scrabbling against her armored underbelly; thankfully the area was well protected, but even now she could feel the armor being gouged out by those eviscerators it had for hands.

The Praetorian screamed as its jaw disengaged, its bulk hauled away from them as a bright, orange blade speared out from its chest. Delphinium continued to back up, mainly due to being unable to support her own weight, but as she did so she dragged the screeching Klaxosaur with her. "Get off of them!" The Franxx yelled in a shrill voice as Orion was finally freed from the creature's ungentle embrace.

"Thanks for the assist!" S047 said, her voice changing instantly to the eager tone she always carried. She held her arms up, the blades humming with power to either side of Orion's head. Her partner leaned into the controls and they lurched towards the still-impaled Praetorian. Both parasites yelled triumphantly as Orion leapt into the air; gravity eagerly pulled them back down and they didn't resist as they fell heavily, blades slicing in a downwards arc. They landed in a crouch and were swiftly followed by two amputated arms, blood hissing and steaming as it leaked from the stumps.

The Praetorian screamed and thrashed wildly about. Its quills flared and Delphinium withdrew, taking her weapon with her as the Klaxosaur twisted drastically about. The razor-sharp quills upon its back forcing both opponents to give it some distance, wary of their destructive potential.

"Excellent work, Del!" Orion yelled across the gap separating the Franxx units.

"Thanks, you too," Delphinium replied, the Franxx heaving with exertion as it dutifully mirrored its pistil's exhaustion. "Del... wait, what?" The feminine voice asked.

"Yeah. Del. It's a cute-," the Praetorian screamed once more,"- little nickname. Don't you like it?" S047 asked after being rudely interrupted.

"I think we have more important things to worry about right now." The same feminine voice spoke as Delphinium nodded her head at the wildly thrashing Klaxosaur that was doing its best impression of a bladed spin-top. Its uneven and far too large quills sliced through building supports like a hot knife through butter. One particular building shuddered alarmingly as one too many supports were shredded.

"That we do. That we do." Orion nodded her head in agreement. S047 wondered if the Praetorian would ever tire from its mindless thrashing. It had to feel some form of exhaustion, right? Klaxosaurs were living creatures- in a sense- and still abided by the basic laws of nature. It couldn't fight forever. But, where was its breaking point? There were ways to disable a Klaxosaur of course- they had even been taught a few- but none applied in this situation. She decided she would have to improvise.

"Imma cook 'em," she said with unrestrained relish. She primed Orion's magmaphex caster once again. Fortunately, she had her authorization for the weapon and no longer needed S199's approval. Lucky her.

She brought their arm up and unleashed a tighter, more controlled burst this time. She didn't wish to injure their ally after all. She watched, utterly entranced by the beauty before her, as the chemical flames splashed once again upon the Praetorian's frame. The Klaxosaur danced wildly as it burned once more.

"You know," began her partner, "I worry about you sometimes."

Her smile only broadened. "What's there to worry about? The fire is completely within my control."

"That _is_ what worries me, S047. Don't you think you rely upon the magmaphex caster a little too often?"

Orion shrugged her shoulders, mirroring the pistil held within her cradle. "It works, don't it?"

He sighed. He didn't have time for this, not now. His concerns would need to wait until they _weren't_ dueling a Praetorian class. "Fine then. Let's finish this. Go for the legs now."

Orion began to approach the living torch cautiously, wary of its tendency to surprise its enemy. Their blades were brought up in a defensive posture, but were still ready to quickly stab or slice in retaliation. But the Praetorian didn't turn and fight them. It didn't hurl itself with wild abandon at the nearest enemy. Instead, it rooted itself to where it stood- quite literally too.

The creature's back split and an assortment of quills, tentacles, spines, and less other identifiable appendages burst forth and speared into the building behind it. They scrambled to enter any way they could, as if desperately seeking shelter. Some just simply cracked onto it with their immense strength. The Praetorian writhed like a puppet on strings as the flames were snuffed out by some unseen hand.

S047 eye's widened as she realized the creature's regenerative effects were _overcoming_ the flames. They had to end this. And quickly.

"Get me in. Now! Finish this." She ordered her partner and they hurried Orion to intercept the mutating creature. They leaped, blades aiming to slice through the protrusion of various new growths, but they were stopped by a whip-like vine that burst forth from the creature's stump of an arm. They were hurtled back by its immense and completely unproportional strength. They landed on their feet, blades spearing into the ground in order to arrest their momentum.

They could do nothing but watch as the grotesque protrusions pulsed and throbbed with an unholy resonance. S199 realized what was happening as his various instruments detected trace amounts of magma reactions within the growths. The trace amounts surged upwards to monumental levels as the growths pulsed hideously. "S047, those growths... they're thriving with magma. It's almost like they are..." he pondered their purpose for a moment before his mind- assisted greatly by his imagination- could make the connection. "They're drawing energy from the plantation itself! By Papa... it's _feeding_ off the power network itself!"

"What does that mean for us?"

"It means we have to severe its connection- if we can- before its too late. Look! It's already healing." And sure enough, her partner was correct.

The Klaxosaur's wounds were being repaired in the same various, gruesome fashions as before, but increased to a hyper-accelerated rate. Its whip for an arm was growing thicker as several new growths branched away from it, seemingly at random. Its right stump transformed into a scythe-like pincer that reared up before stabbing into the street. S199 detected a surge of magma-energy reactions taking place within it and realized what exactly it had penetrated. Below the street was an auxiliary conduit for the plantation's main power network; tapped into such a source of immense and nigh-infinite power, the Praetorian swelled with unnatural growth. Already uncontrolled mutations swung into full rampancy and its form was enveloped by a sudden swell of chaotic growths. He lost sight of the Praetorian itself as the new limbs expanded quickly; they covered the ground and seeped into buildings as the street became overwhelmed in mere moments by a tide of writhing tentacles, vines, and other such 'limbs'.

"By Papa... it's it's...-" his partner finished for him, "-a challenge." He couldn't stop her, not even if he had tried to do so.

Orion waded into the nest of appendages. It was impossible to miss the Klaxosaur's numerous growths, and where they sliced the wretched things, they quickly withered away before crumpling to dust. They hacked, slashed, sliced, chopped, and hewed their way through the tangle of living branches, but it wasn't enough. For every limb they severed another two took its place; they were slowly becoming overwhelmed. Where was Delphinium? Had they escaped this new horror?

Orion dodged low as a thick tentacle, aiming to decapitate them, speared into the ground just behind them. New growths sprouted from the base and chased after them, but they swatted these aside with ease. A vine burst forth from behind them and wrapped around their leg. They dropped low in order to slash through it, but their arm was already restrained by another that had slithered free from a building's interior. Their flamer roared and many of the appendages were bathed in flames, but any breathing room they had created was quickly filled with even more of the growths. Too much. Far too much for a single Franxx.

They were becoming trapped, and S199 was painfully aware of the fact. He was sure his partner knew it too; though she would never admit it. They needed help, and quickly. He reluctantly keyed into the comm as the rampant growths closed in around them, cutting them off from their only escape route.

"Andromeda, Andromeda, this is Orion..."

* * *

First, there had been pain. Searing, blinding, and laughably horrific pain. It had scared the other away. I had been left alone in order to bear the pain they could not. This was becoming routine for us. So be it.

Next came the insanity. An affliction upon the soul that every one of my kind carried, but rarely embraced with any enthusiasm. I wholeheartedly believed in embracing such madness though, for shunning one's nature was cowardice. One could never deny their true nature anyways, no matter how hard they railed against it. Insanity was a unique evolutionary trait to mankind for no other animal was so inflicted with it upon the scale that we were. No other animal could so willingly embrace madness in order to survive.

And finally... silence. And for a few blissful heartbeats, nothing more. Until the other had returned, pulling me free from the depths. Reluctantly I allowed myself to be brought back to reality. My vision swirled as the material realm reasserted itself.

I moved our head, but it was difficult to do so. I felt something restraining me. Panic began to set in. I heaved with effort as I strained to free us. Again. I felt something give. Again. The desperation was overwhelming. Again. I wanted to be free. Again. It was almost there. _Again_! Our arm came free, stands of bio-mechanical tissue still attached to it flopped messily about. I flicked our arm and several strips fluttered away. How... revolting. With a single arm free, we were able to work on extracting the other limbs.

What happened? I asked the other.

You don't remember?

Obviously not.

You went quite mad. The accusation stung more than I had thought it would. Why did I care about their opinion? As far as I knew they didn't even know my name. Not that I knew my name own though.

Only because you abandoned me. Again.

I was... scared. The pain... it hurt. I had to do something. They sounded absolutely pathetic to my ears. It hurt? Of course it hurt, that was the defining feature of pain! And yet... something within me urged me to be 'sympathetic' to them. It was an odd feeling to..., not hate- was that even it?- someone. How odd.

So, I went mad and you ran. What else?

I did not run. I saved us.

Saved us? How? What are we in right now? I pulled our legs free and stomped onto the ground. No, it wasn't the ground. It was artificial. A thick layer of bio-mechanical matter covered what had been a street the last I remembered. Were we even still in the city?

We are. The other answered my thoughts.

Did you just... read my mind? I don't... like that.

I did not read your mind. We are connected, in more ways than one. I _felt_ your thoughts because they often pass through me as well. We share more than just this form after all. If you wish privacy though I shall respect such a choice.

Do that. I like my thoughts to stay as my own. Now, where within the city are we?

Same place.

I looked around, our head turning on a swivel as I took in the environment. It had changed drastically as vines and brambles had swallowed the surrounding area completely. The street was shattered, broken by large roots that spiraled in and out of the ground. All of the new flora was made of the same shiny, black material with ghastly blue internals that pulsed softly.

Is this... is this your doing?

It is _our_ doing. I employed an extreme defensive measure when I decided we were outmatched, and you shaped the form of it with your subconscious. I never abandoned you though. My attention was only... diverted momentarily.

So, I hadn't been alone. I had just been too involved with the fight to care. How interesting. I felt like I should apologize. 'Felt like' was a big difference to actually performing such an action though. An action I did not choose to take.

What now?

We find the key. You did well in disabling them, but they are not yet in our possession. We must find them. They are the key.

Ah, yes. _The key_. The other's obsession with it was becoming an annoyance. Not that I had better things to do.

It's not an obsession. The other denied.

... Really? Again...

Sorry... this is... difficult to ignore your thought pattern. We are linked.

Yes, yes, so you keep telling me. It's difficult to forget such a fact. Just... try to stay directly out of my thoughts and we will get along just fine. Now, on to the matter at hand. The key. What... what the hell happened to it?

It's near us. I can smell it.

I wondered briefly if our brains processed smells differently. All I could smell was the chemical stink of the enemy's incendiary weapon and our own freshly spilled blood, the scent of which caused my memory to flash with scenes of impalements. Our hand flew to our chest, fingers seeking the multiple stab wounds that had pierced our chassis. Nothing. The wounds were gone.

Did we heal?

Yes. I diverted some of the energy to our repair systems. We are still only operating at seventy-five percent functionality though.

What were we operating at before? I felt the need to ask such a redundant question.

Seventy-five percent functionality.

Wait. What? How?

Our minds are linked, but they have yet to fully synchronize. Until that time comes we are operating at well below full functionality.

Oh. Wonderful. I did my best to make my tone of... thought... sound sarcastically disappointed, but in truth I was impressed. Not even at full percent functionality and we were more than a match for most opponents. But, that implied we might not be able to best _all_ of our enemies, and that bothered me to no end.

We searched for the key, guided as much by the other's smell as my glitchy memory of the fight; although the environment had changed drastically I had managed to remain well oriented. We ducked, climbed, and weaved our way through the expansive growth of our own making as we sought the target of our mission. It had to be here _somewhere._

There! The other quite literally picked up the scent and I felt a strong, insubstantial pull in a seemingly random direction. I followed willingly and without complaint. I reasoned that a mutual trust had to be formed over time, and now was as good as time as any to begin such a... relationship.

We clambered over a particularly thick vine and crouched low as we reached the ground. Crawling on all fours had become necessary very suddenly as the growths tended to cloud the area above our waist. Even so, our massive bulk scraped against the branches as we squeezed beneath them. The growths began to close in around us, pressing in from every angle as we delved deeper into the mass. Eventually, the emptiness between them had completely vanished and now they had melded into a singular, claustrophobic inducing tunnel. And still we crawled on, uncaring of the possibility of becoming trapped within the close confines. And then suddenly the tunnel opened up. There had been no cliche of shining light to indicate the end of it though. The light here was weak and the branches still hung low; though we could even stand upright we were forced to do so hunched over. But, none of this truly mattered. What did matter was what lay upon the ground, still and lifeless from our earlier fight. The key itself.

Oddly enough though our growths had not come close to touching it, instead they had outright avoided coming within a very obvious distance. What an intriguing behavior.

Is this you're doing? Did you spare the key for some reason?

No. When I deployed our defensive measures it was at random and in total desperation. This... this was not my doing.

You know what that means then, don't you?

No. I haven't the faintest idea of what you are trying to imply.

It means the key did this, and when we consider the key had been rendered unresponsive then the next logical leap of thought is that the key possesses some sort of automatic and unseen defense that wards off our growths. What exactly is the key?

Only silence greeted my question. The other did not immediately respond and my apprehension rose significantly. They finally answered after the moment passed; although their reply did nothing to assuage my doubts.

The key.

I sighed internally. It would be futile to ask again. I could sense that to do so would be a mere waste of time. If I wanted _real_ answers then I would be required to find them elsewhere. So be it.

Fine, it matters little. Let's retrieve them and be on our way. I understand one of your larger kin is on its way? We will retreat while he holds them at bay.

 _They_ are indeed on the way. They will gladly die for our mission to succeed, but that may not be necessary. I have an idea that may allow us to escape without further delay. There is an area some distance away that could serve such a purpose. A few minutes of digging and we can drop directly into a service tunnel that leads back to Lenaxiaray. We will be safe once we reach it.

Not sure what you mean by that name, but I'll assume it is a better location than our current one. Where is this tunnel?

I heard a soft chirp sound from within our shared skull, which was accompanied by a severe sense of dislocation, and suddenly a strange symbol of indiscernible origin flickered into view. A display of equally unknown hieroglyphics appeared beside it; though in a significantly smaller size. I knew not a single symbol that was displayed, but I was able to discern their true meaning through an unfathomable method.

Follow. The other said simply.

I bent our form downwards and wrapped our arms beneath the key. Tenderly, we picked up the key and cradled it gently to our chest as if it were a child. I vaguely remember treating the key in a completely opposite manner mere minutes before, but the other urged me to protect the key and so I complied. Because I'm just that nice.

As I reflected upon that fight, I noticed that the other's viewpoint, including their thoughts within that moment, were accessible to me. They did not shield them from my viewing. It was... odd to browse through an entirely different viewpoint than my own, to include even the thoughts and emotions they had experienced. I found that the other had been severely disappointed in my handling of the situation, or rather, was disappointed in my handling of the key itself. I resolved to treat the key with more respect and... wait, what? Where was this regret coming from? I felt like a chastened child, scolded for disobeying its mother. What did I care for the other's opinion? None. And yet...

We walked forward, the key carried bridal style as we approached the 'wall' of growths. My earlier presumption was well-founded as the various appendages slithered away and out of sight from our path. The key was splitting the living barrier before us. We hurried to our extraction.

* * *

Delphinium staggered away from the fight, her leg dragging behind her. They needed to leave, Ichigo understood this now. Goro was in complete agreement with her. Not that he had taken much convincing; the writhing mass of Klaxosaur growths they had left behind was evidence enough of the futility of staying a moment longer.

Ichigo's mind wandered briefly to their unexpected ally. Where had they come from? Who were they? _What_ were they? So many questions milled about in her mind, and there was so very little time to answer them. She had far more pressing concerns. Like extracting her squad safely. And Hiro... fear gripped her mind as she realized Hiro's gunship no longer flew near them. In fact, she couldn't even remember seeing it for some time.

"Goro," she paused as a sudden swell of emotions threatened to consume her, "where is Hiro?" She barely managed to choke out.

"Hiro? He was just... here... wasn't he? I thought... oh no."

Delphinium turned back towards the seething mass. The street was already choked with curling vines and slithering tentacles. It would be nigh impassable in mere moments.

"We... we have to go back." Her voice began to harden as her will became focused. "We have to save Hiro." Her body ceased its trembling of fear to be replaced by the jitters of adrenaline. She couldn't turn back without _him_. She couldn't even countenance living without _him_.

Goro realized he wouldn't be able to stop her. He knew she loved Hiro. It hurt to admit that. It hurt on a deep level that he did not fully understand, but was somehow instinctively aware of. He would have followed her anywhere, even to save the man she loved instead of him. Why? Because it would bring a smile to her face and nothing more. He needed no other reason; although it did ease the pain somewhat knowing that he was also helping to save his friend Hiro.

Before Delphinium could even get close though, an onyx colored hand gripped her shoulder and hauled her away with surprising strength. She turned and saw a Franxx design neither parasite had ever even imagined before.

Rose colored eyes peered at them from a face of sharp angles that were so fine they almost blended the face into a featureless canvas. Almost, but not quite. When the head turned, light would barely catch the edges, highlighting the hard geometries of the Franxx. The machine was taller than Delphinium as well, but only by a small margin. Crimson spikes protruded from multiple points along its chassis, glaring angrily like Zero Tsu's horns. Long arms ended in stylized fingers that reminded Ichigo too much of Nana's own nails. Slender legs were poised high on thin, crimson stilettos, and yet, the Franxx still maintained perfect balance upon these extravagant supports. When it spoke it did so with an alluring female voice; though it was completely passionless and monotone.

"Stand down, Delphinium. This is our fight." The new arrival held up a faintly humming magma sword within a single hand. Ichigo saw it was like none other, the handle far too long for a sword and the blade itself serrated along both edges with clear segmentation between each serration, like the body of a centipede. These serrations took the form of wickedly curved teeth which peeled off the blade itself at regular intervals, giving it the appearance of a double-sided saw. The most gruesome and horrendous saw Ichigo had ever laid eyes upon.

"Wh-," Ichigo began but was cleanly interrupted by the Franxx's stamen.

"This is no longer your fight, Code 015. This mission belongs to the S.T.A.R.R.S now. That's a direct order from Papa as well, so please do not resist it. Now, extract your squad and get them back to your plantation- safely." Although he sounded incredibly formal he was also polite and well-spoken, and a soft smile entered his voice as he continued. "You have done excellent work today, Ichigo, and Papa will be proud. But we will take it from here." The use of her name by someone not of her squad was enough to unsettle her nearly as much as it startled her.

"You... you know my name?!" She asked with no small amount of confusion.

"Indeed I do. In fact, I'm quite familiar with all of your squad's abnormal naming conventions. If I'm being honest, I hope I'll even receive a name when I finally meet Hiro."

Ichigo heard something in his voice when he had mentioned Hiro. It gave her pause as she tried to realize what it was. Love? No, that was silly and certainly not the word for it. Admiration perhaps? That sounded more appropriate. This stamen, who she did not even know the designated code of, was an admirer of Hiro's, or so it would appear. But then she remembered where Hiro _was_ at the moment.

"Hiro!" She blurted out to the new Franxx with little hesitation. "Hiro is in danger! He is still in there." Delphinium turned to look at the mass of wild Klaxosaur growth that had taken over the area. It was still growing too, albeit at a significantly slower pace. "We can't just leave him. _I won't leave him_."

The Franxx followed their gaze. "How unnecessarily sentimental," it said, the same alluring voice of the pistil speaking aloud.

"Hiro is in there? How convenient for us. This may prove to be advantageous though." Said the stamen. The Franxx turned back towards them. "By the way, I'm S337 and my partner is S428. We pilot Andromeda together."

Ichigo instantly recognized the name and its meaning. This Franxx was named after a stellar constellation. But, why? For what purpose was this Franxx unique? She had learned that the vast majority of Franxx units were designed with a certain standard within mind. The only deviations were found within her squad and the Nines squad as well.

"We are going into whatever _that_ is. Our squad mates will arrive soon, and I expect you to be gone by that time. So please, evacuate safely and in a timely manner. And don't worry about your friend Hiro. We will find him and save him. You have my word."

"W-what..." Ichigo finally managed to stammer aloud. Leave Hiro? And trust this entirely new- and disturbingly friendly- parasite team that had literally come from nowhere? Now that Ichigo thought about it, she realized that they had arrived entirely unnoticed as well. How had they even arrived with no sound? It's not like a Franxx was designed with stealth in mind. Or was this one designed with such thoughts in mind? What other secrets did its parasites hide?

"Ichigo, maybe we should trust these guys and just do what he says." Goro spoke directly to her.

"What?! You can't be serious! I'm not trusting Hiro's life to these... these... newbloods! Who are they? Where did they come from? Are they even good?"

"We saw his teammate already, the one with the sonic cannon. That Franxx seemed like it knew what it was doing. I think we should swallow our pride and retreat. The rest of the squad is in no condition to fight. Not to mention Kokoro and Mitsuru could very well be injured."

 _Oh, right. Stupid Ichigo!_ She hated herself for forgetting about Genista's parasites. How could she have been so selfish? They may even be... _de-... dead._.. and she was already willing to abandon them in Hiro's name! Goro was right. She gave in at last.

"Okay. We'll retreat." She made eye contact with Andromeda. "But promise me that you will find Hiro. Please." She choked on his name. She desperately hoped they hadn't judged her for her weakness.

"Of course. I gave you my word, did I not?" And without another word the Franxx turned towards the mass of slowly undulating growths and began to cleave a path through them. They brandished their sword, the blade held high. With methodical precision, they began to hack a path into the growths. Before long they had entered some ways into it. And soon after the appendages regrew behind them, concealing the path they had made until not a hint of their passing remained.

Ichigo desperately wished to follow them, but instead she turned Delphinium towards her fallen allies. Slowly, they made their way back to Genista.

* * *

His eyes shot open. Stars danced across his vision. The coppery tang of blood was hot in the air as he slowly familiarized himself with his surroundings. He was in a cockpit, or at least what was left of one. The windshield had cracked and the vehicle would more than likely never fly again, judging by the fact that a large piece of steel was pierced straight through the control console. By some stroke of luck- or perhaps fate itself- it had not managed to impale him.

Hiro disengaged the harness that kept him secure whilst in flight. It didn't budge. He tried again. It would not yield. He could smell smoke and figured something was on fire. If it was anything near the fuel tank... he could possibly have a problem. He hooked his thumb beneath the restraint harness and heaved. It felt like it would budge if he gave it some more elbow grease. He took several quick breaths and heaved once more with all his strength. He felt something give and hope flared in his chest. He took more breaths. He heaved for the third time and final time and the restraint harness groaned loudly before cracking. He pushed the broken thing out and away from him. If anyone had seen the feat Hiro had just committed they would have been unbelievably astounded. The restraint harness was made of pure steel after all. Hiro had other matters to attend to though, and spared not a second thought as to his inhuman strength.

He slammed his fist into the emergency release and the windshield hissed as it opened. He almost climbed out, but stopped himself. He reached back in and retrieved a shattered hand mirror. He looked at it briefly and smiled at the fond memory of when he had given it to her. The smile transformed into a grimace of determination as he swore he would return it to its rightful owner.

He hurried out of the crash site, the gunship burning in the street behind him. Looking up, he could see the plantation had changed. Large, black vines crisscrossed between the buildings and massive roots had erupted from below the street. It had been one of these vines that had struck him from the air as it had birthed from a building whilst he had attempted to land near Strelizia.

Hiro looked around, seeking the reason for his aborted landing. He could not see her now; though he was sure he had landed close. The landscape had changed too drastically however and he could not get a true bearing. He decided to go with his gut instinct and travel down the street. Any action was better than no action. His Zero Tsu would most definitely agree.

He broke into a distance-eating jog as his patience grew thin. He _had_ to find her. He had something to tell her, something very important. He gripped the handle of the mirror tightly. And of course, something to give.

His footsteps were the only sound within the city for quite some time. The vines had suppressed all other sounds, or so it would seem. There were no adults in the area. No screaming monsters destroying everything in their path. Nothing but silence and those unnatural appendages.

Eventually, he began to notice it becoming darker and darker as he ran. The growths were becoming thicker and thicker overhead as less light made its way down to him. He felt a primal fear well up within him, that same feeling all humans would get when they traversed the dark paths of the night. But he couldn't turn back. Not now. Something told him he was close. So very close. It spurred him on into the unknown darkness.

The tunnel, for that was what it had become, grew ever darker until all light was completely snuffed out. He ran in the darkness, accompanied by only the sound of his own footfalls. It seemed the tunnel would only ever constrict around him, as if the walls were slowly closing in. And then suddenly, it ended and he walked into a large, dome-like cavern that was poorly lit by bioluminescent bulbs that hung suspended high above his head. And within the middle of the dome lay a Franxx in quiet repose. _Strelizia._

Hiro was overcome with joy. At long last, he had found her! He sprinted across the wide expanse of empty space, but he stopped suddenly as an indescribable feeling filtered through his body. He dropped to the ground, pressing himself flat as much as possible. He heard something, a large scraping sound, like metal dragging across the sand of a beach. He raised his head slightly, eyes searching the area for the source of this haunting sound.

On the opposing side of the dome, something truly massive emerged from a tunnel far too small to fit its girth. The tunnel strained to give birth to the object and Hiro could hear the vines crack as they gave way beneath the frighteningly large newcomer. He watched, utterly fascinated as the creature emerged and stood upright. It was the Klaxosaur that had bested Strelizia. The one that had _hurt her_.

His heart hammered in his chest and he felt a surge of adrenaline. His limbs, exhausted beyond belief, were filled with strength. He wanted to kill this thing. He wanted to spear it through with Strelizia's weapon and watch as it burst like an overfilled balloon. His kills had always been a mere part of the mission. But his vendetta against this creature _was_ a mission in itself.

His legs pumped hard, carrying him quickly to engage the target. He realized that he was running at full sprint. _When had that happened? When had he even gotten up? This was insane,_ he thought. _I'm going to die,_ he concluded. He only had a broken hand mirror as a weapon against a forty-meter tall creature of immense power. But he was willing to do anything to protect her. And so he charged, like a valiant and noble knight of old with his sword held high and a war cry let loose upon his lips.

The Klaxosaur didn't even deign to notice him. It simply collected Strelizia in its arms and walked in a seemingly random direction. The overgrowth came alive and it withdrew from the creature's path.

Hiro followed the Klaxosaur, his every intent bent upon inflicting a fatal blow to it. This was assuming of course that he could actually _reach_ it first. Which was a quickly fading possibility as it outpaced him with ease. The Klaxosaur was simply too large for Hiro to keep up with. He yelled, his voice straining with effort.

"COME BACK YOU BASTARD!" The Klaxosaur didn't stop. It didn't even slow. It didn't even turn around and stomp him flat like a bug. It just kept walking, ignorant or uncaring of his efforts which were comparable to an insect's on the grand scheme of things.

Hiro's legs pumped hard, sending him down the street faster than he had ever run before in his life. But it wasn't enough. The Klaxosaur outpaced him and its footfalls became quieter with every passing moment. The vines were quick to move back into place, concealing the creature from sight. Eventually, he was left utterly alone in the sound dampening overgrowth.

He slowed as his legs began to scream in pain. He had been sprinting for a full five minutes and now his body would experience the price of such a feat. His legs felt like jelly beneath him and he finally collapsed to his knees; though this had little to do with physical exhaustion in reality. Instead this was a failure of his own mind. He had failed her. Tears began to well up from within his eyes; something incredibly rare that had not happened in a long time. He truly was a failure of a parasite. He had only ever had one true partner in his life, and now he had at long last proven to be unworthy of her. He shook as conflicting emotions boiled within him. Fear at losing her. Anger at his own weakness. And hatred for the abomination that had taken her from him.

The thought of the Klaxosaur caused him to bare his teeth in anger, like a savage animal. His hand tightened around the handle of the mirror and it creaked beneath his grip strength. _Damn that thing. Damn it to hell._ He reared his head back and yelled, so inflicted the cry was with his own hatred and pain that it would have sent shivers down anyone's spine had they heard it. He rocked forward and slammed the pommel of the mirror into the ground and several shards of reflective glass were thrown loose. He beat the ground with his other fist, the pain of the assault only serving to further his own efforts. The bones within his hand hurt, but it was a cathartic pain as he slammed his hand again and again into the ground. He imagined the Klaxosaur's face was the ground and he beat it with a savage passion as he worked his frustration out. His hands were bloody and raw, the gloves torn to shreds, by the time he was finished. He took a shuddering breath as he slowly looked up from the ground.

 _No._ The thought pulsed through his mind, solid and clear. No, he wouldn't let it end like this. He wouldn't let that monster take her from him. Even if he was completely powerless against it he would find a way to save her, even if it meant he died in the attempt. So long as he saved her. Why was he so willing to save her? Because he wished to show her that someone still cared for her. To show her that someone still loved her. To show her that she mattered to him, even more than his own life. He knew she would see the beauty in that.

Hiro stood on trembling legs. They felt better. He almost felt giddy as his body surpassed exhaustion and entered that blessed state where it no longer cared how much it endured. He resolved to find the Klaxosaur, whatever it took. Even if he had to march after it on foot for a thousand years. Fortunately for him, his salvation came in a completely unexpected form.

The booming of a Franxx's footfalls were the first sign of his savior; though he had no idea who would have come for him. Indeed, it was entirely possible they had not come for him at all. He cursed himself for not grabbing the flare gun from the crashed gunship. That would be incredibly useful for grabbing their attention. But, then again the only Franxx he could think of that was in the area would be Delphinium. And whoever that new arrival had been. So maybe they were indeed seeking him.

The canopy shattered above him. The vines were shredded and torn away in vast amounts as the Franxx cleared them. He couldn't yet see the machine for the air was filled with bits of bio-mechanical waste, but it was hard to miss the commotion such a machine inevitably produced. He quickly sought shelter as heavy trimmings rained down from above. As the vines were cleared away he saw it was, in fact, the new arrival, cleaving away the growths with a gleaming magma blade in its hand.

Hiro ran out into the open, waving his hands profusely and screaming like a madman. He screamed until his voice was raw and hoarse. Luckily for him, the parasites noticed his insanity as they ceased their garden trimming and bent downward upon a single knee in order to meet him. As the Franxx lowered itself he saw that it was _not_ the new arrival at all.

This new machine was far more similar to a normal Franxx than the earlier arrival, at least from his perspective. Still, it was completely unique when compared to almost any Franxx he had ever seen before. And he had never seen a darker color upon a Franxx in his entire life. It looked as if it swallowed up light instead of reflecting it and it possessed a haunting beauty as the eyes, burning a fierce crimson, affixed him with a predator's stare. He was momentarily taken aback by how the machine reminded him of his Zero Tsu with that bone-chilling gaze. Emotions ran wild within him as his mind made the simple connection and he struggled to contain them. _No, it wasn't her._ _She still needs my help though._ The illusion became cracked under this logic, but it was shattered completely when the machine spoke with a voice that did not belong to his beloved. In fact, it was a male voice.

"Are you Hiro?" It asked with genuine interest. That certainly caught him off guard. He wasn't expecting it to know him. He realized with a sudden start that it had used his _name_ and not his designated code.

"Uhm..." he was quite speechless as the crimson eyes bore down upon him with unrelenting scrutiny. "...Yeah." he finally managed to answer as the initial shock wore off. He became suddenly aware of how suspicious that was. No one but his squad mates called him Hiro. Except for Zero Tsu. She called him 'darling' and he loved it. Come to think of it he had never actually heard her call him anything but that term of endearment...

"How do you know my name?"

"Oh, that... is a rather long explanation. I'll tell you it in time I suppose, but first we have a job to do." The stamen paused for a moment and only resumed when Hiro was just about ready to speak. He held his tongue as he waited patiently. "You're more than welcome to accompany us. I believe our goals align."

"That depends on your mission. Which is...?"

"To find Strelizia and Code 002. Delphinium's pistil has also asked us to retrieve you, so bringing you along would be most advantageous to us."

Go with them? To save Zero Tsu from the Klaxosaur? He really had no other choice. Or at least he couldn't think of one. It would definitely be safer than walking through a Klaxosaur infested city.

"Alright then. I'll tag along." Hiro's eyes narrowed as he accepted the aid. What's the worst that could happen?

"Well then. I'm glad you agreed. Come on in!" The stamen almost sounded... delighted, as the Franxx's hand was held out before him, the palm up and open. He stepped onto the hand and was brought swiftly to eye level as the Franxx stood back up, all in one smooth motion. The face unfolded in a hydraulic-powered clang as compressed air escaped in numerous hisses. He climbed aboard and entered the Franxx. It occurred to him that this was only the third Franxx he had ever been in during his short life.

Within the cockpit was the standard Franxx piloting setup. The pistil was mounted in her cradle and had her head covered by the helmet. He could see loose strands of golden hair drooping just past the helmet itself. She completely ignored him, her consciousness completely assumed into the Franxx at the moment. The stamen waved him over though with a friendly smile on his face.

Hiro approached the boy. He wore a helmet with a plastic, digitized visor covering his eyes, but this slipped soundlessly away as Hiro approached. He was struck by how fairly similar to his own appearance the parasite was, as if made in his very image. Only two deviances existed between them. His eyes were a deep violet color that sparkled like the sky just before an evening twilight and his hair was clipped noticeably shorter than Hiro's own. Other than those two obvious differences, they easily could have passed for each other's twin if one spared only a momentary glance.

The stamen held out a hand in greeting, something few other parasites had ever offered Hiro. "It's a real pleasure to meet you, Hiro. I'm S337 and this is my partner, S428." The pistil didn't even bother to acknowledge him. "We pilot Andromeda as the leader of the S.T.A.R.R squad."

Hiro took the hand, shaking it in a polite fashion. "Nice to meet you, S337. S.T.A.R.R squad? What's that?"

S337 smiled softly as the Franxx's face closed up, while the 360-degree display flickered back into life around him. The visor slid smoothly back across his eyes as he answered the question. "The Special Tactics And Rapid Response Squad is a special operations unit directly under the APE high council's control. We were formed in order to deal with certain missions that were outside of a normal squad's area of expertise."

"Like rescuing Zero Tsu from a Klaxosaur?" He ventured.

"Exactly! I was told you were quick-witted, but I kept my expectations artificially low to shield myself from disappointment. I'm glad you proved I had no reason to worry." He beamed as he complimented Hiro.

Well, that was certainly... intriguing. Who had told him about him? So many disturbing questions were cropping up. But, Hiro would have to wait to ask them. For now, they were on a mission, and it was the most important one he had ever been on in his entire life. He decided to cut right to the chase.

"So, what exactly is your plan for finding my partner?"

"Honestly, we have no clear plan. Part of our specialty is adapting to changing situations. Right now the most obvious step is to clear our way through this growth and find our comrade. With Orion by our side we can make quick work of this clutter and hunt down the Praetorian with ease."

 _The Praetorian? Was that the Klaxosaur? Agh!_ It didn't matter to him. He was quickly becoming frustrated with speaking to this boy. He felt an intense urge to throw this parasite from his seat and simply pilot the Franxx himself. _To hell with his comrade 'Orion'! He had to find Zero Tsu!_

Hiro shook his head to clear his thoughts. Where had such strong emotions come from? He knew he was tired, but those thoughts were downright poisonous. Not to mention completely unlike him. Was this what happened when you loved someone? You became... irrational?

"Are you alright, Hiro?" S337 asked with obvious concern as Hiro became visibly distressed.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Just took a bang to the head when I crashed. Listen, I'd love to talk more," this was no lie, for Hiro would love to gather more information about his mysterious new allies, "but can we perhaps pursue the Klaxosaur first? If it has left the area then your comrade is most likely completely fine, maybe immobilized or lost, but otherwise fine. Zero Tsu on the other hand was taken by that thing. I saw the direction it went, and I'm more than willing to guide you to it, but we have to leave _now._.." What he was doing was downright dishonorable and he knew it. He felt absolutely horrible about essentially asking this boy to abandon his comrade in the middle of battle, but he found he couldn't really care less about someone he had never met before. Humans were such selfish creatures when they needed to be, but who could blame them less they themselves be labeled a hypocrite?

"Hmm." S337 looked lost in thought for a moment. The seconds ticked by, agonizingly slow for Hiro. Every second felt wasted to him. After a moments' consideration though, he had his answer. "I suppose so, though I do not wish to abandon my team. Ultimately though, Code 002 and Streliza _are_ our priority so we are not in the wrong by forgoing conventional tactics, in fact, that's what we were trained for. I'm all for it, but I must confer with my partner first, for obvious reasons. S428, what do you say?"

And for the first time, Hiro heard the pistil speak. Her voice would have been called attractive had any hint of emotion been noticeable within it. "We are wasting time. Let's move."

"And there you have it." He lurched into the controls without a second's hesitation. Hiro lost his footing immediately as the Franxx stepped forwards and swung its weapon into the growths once more as they resumed clearing a path.

Hiro crawled across the floor until he reached the stamen's high-backed throne and hauled himself into a more secure position. He wasn't used to being a passenger in one of these things and he felt his stomach whirl despite being near empty. This... was not the brightest of his decisions. But it beat the hell out of flying a gunship. For now.

"Sorry, Hiro. The ride is going to get a little bumpy. And unfortunately, we don't have any extra seats. You're welcome to hold onto mine though." S337 seemed to be completely heartfelt with every statement he delivered. Hiro couldn't help but begin to appreciate such bare honesty. Perhaps they would become friends after this whole ordeal was resolved. He wondered what Zero Tsu would make of these new parasites. Speaking of which, where had they come from? He hadn't been aware of any special operations units in the area, not that he would have been told. Franxx weren't exactly stealthy either, and they had entered the battle far too late. He decided he would get his answers, if only so he had something to distract him from the sudden motion sickness afflicting him.

"So, where exactly did you guys come from?"

"Us? Oh, well from space of course!" He said as if it was the most casual thing in the world. It was certainly not to Hiro.

"What?" He said with a blank stare.

"Well, not from space of course. But, from Cosmos. We were born, trained, and billeted upon that installation. In fact, this is the first time I've actually been on a planet! I thought I would be heavier down here..."

"What?" Hiro repeated for lack of anything better to say. He was still trying to process what exactly the parasite was saying. He explained his origins so nonchalantly that it was nigh unfathomable. Before he could say anything more though they came to a sudden stop.

"Hmm. This may be a problem...," S337 muttered as he looked directly at a building in their path. The problem wasn't the building itself, but rather where it was placed. It hadn't fallen in any sense; though it was heavily damaged. But it was the end of the street. They were surrounded by buildings on either side, which were subsequently still plagued with vines. Behind them the path closed up as the appendages regrew over their hastily erected passageway. They had lost the trail.

"Well, I guess we have to turn back now. I don't see the Praetorian climbing with Strelizia in hand anytime soon, so we must simply have missed their trail." He shrugged, as if losing Zero Tsu was nothing more than an inconvenience. Hiro felt his blood boil at the boy's ability to simply dismiss her. S337 continued on, oblivious to Hiro's rising ire. "But it's not like we were following a specific route anyways. We were always just grasping at straws. Guess it's time we fall back and reassess the situation."

"Wait." Hiro said firmly.

"Wait? I don't see why Hiro. This is a dead end." S337 gestured with an empty hand towards the building.

Hiro couldn't have explained the feeling if he had tried. The most appropriate description he could have provided would have been to tell someone that it was his gut instinct, but deep down he knew it was something more refined than that. It felt like an intangible tether had taken hold of one of his major organs; though he was still trying to decide whether the organ in question was his heart or his brain. The feeling was weighing him down, making him feel heavy with purpose. He could barely stand as a pulse of some unseen force flowed through his head.

"Down." He barely managed to squeeze out the word as he dropped to his knees. He wasn't in pain, but he didn't have any strength left to stand. Gravity had increased tenfold upon him. What was happening to him?

S337 looked concerned as Hiro dropped. "Hiro! Are you alright?" He was mistaking Hiro's word for an admission of pain instead of an actual order. Only when he moved to assist did Hiro manage to speak again, and in a clearer fashion.

"Go _down_." Hiro leaned forward and banged his fist on the metal deck.

"Hiro?! What's wrong?" S337 couldn't understand what was happening, at least until he applied some logic. He was still far off the mark. "How bad did you hit your head?" He moved to assist his fellow stamen, concern writ large upon his eerily similar face. Before he could though his partner stopped him.

"Wait. That's not what he is implying." And before S337 could disengage from the throne his partner acted, taking matters into her own gigantic, metal hands. Andromeda arched her back and angled her magma blade to the sky briefly before driving it down into the ground. The blade, instead of meeting overwhelming resistance, simply plunged into the ground up until the hilt.

"What the-" was all that S337 could manage before the thicket of vines collapsed beneath them. Andromeda fell into the covered hole, landing nimbly upon her feet, blade raised and ready to meet any foe that lurked within. But nothing assailed them from the shadows of what he could now see was a tunnel.

"A tunnel... of course! Good work Hiro! I never would have thought of that."

The wave of pressure subsided within Hiro's mind, but it did not yet entirely dissipate. He could still feel the tether, pulling him into the dark embrace of the world. He could still feel _her_ on the other end.

S337 gazed in wonder at the mouth of the tunnel. It would seem the Klaxosaur had been able to burrow straight through the plantation's unarmored underbelly in order to reach this tunnel. He shuddered as he imagined the power behind the claws sharp enough to cut through all that metal in such a short time span. He prayed to Papa that the Praetorian had dulled them through committing such an act, but he knew he wasn't so lucky.

"Well then," he said, "I guess our way is clear." The vines were already slithering back over the hole, concealing it from view. In moments, the last light would be snuffed out and they would be plunged into the eternal darkness that existed beneath the world's crust. As the last light was consumed, the trio of parasites set out, venturing deeper into the dark depths of the world.


	6. Chapter 6: Together We Stand

Hahaha! I bet you thought I died, didn't you? But no! I am still alive and well, not from a lack of trying though. Work hit hard these last few months, banishing me to an area that literally provided no opportunities to upload a new chapter. However, that didn't stop me from writing. During my exile, I wrote nearly one-hundred thousand words worth of the story. What you're about to read is almost half of the final product. I really didn't feel like dropping a sixty-thousand word chapter on you guys, so I split it as decently as possible. I'm quite proud of the finished product, but as always I'm sure I made a thousand mistakes. Also, feel free to leave a review and feedback! Cya next week for the seventh chapter!

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

 **Together we stand...**

They struggled for what seemed like hours. Their blades cleaving relentlessly through the voracious growths with a methodical precision that would be the envy of any machine, and their limbs were just as tireless too. On and on they went, indomitable in their quest for freedom. Sure, they faltered at times as grasping vines sought to delay them, but they never stopped. And they never looked back. They couldn't afford to. More than just their lives were on the line. The mission came first, as it always would.

The vines themselves were of an unnatural cause, thick and flexible they should never have existed in the first place. But they did. And they possessed a mind of their own as well, or so it would seem; although in reality, they were only following the last orders they had received from their parent: grow and spread. And so, they dutifully did just that. The delay they caused was a mere after-effect of their original use, but that served their parent all the better, even if it was an unintentional boon.

But the mechanical invader that plowed through their ranks couldn't possibly know this. Nor would they care if they had. To them, they were on a mission, and nothing would halt their progress. Especially some overgrown weeds. They continued their crusade of belligerent chopping, their thick, short blades rising and falling in a steady rhythm in time with the heartbeats of the bonded pilots.

For this unceasing mentality, they were eventually rewarded with that which they had striven for so diligently. Their blades finally- and quite suddenly- cleaved through empty air and weak light spilled through the newly made breach. This first glimpse of change, this ounce of unrestricted freedom, spurred them forward harder than any amount of physical danger ever could. They tore their mechanical form through the last vestiges of the grasping vines without hesitation and emptied the blissfully empty air.

Orion was free at last.

S047 heaved with exertion, sweat beading upon her forehead. She wiped some from her brow before it could run down and sully her vision. Though her body hadn't moved from its position, she had still felt the strain of the Franxx's actions as her own and it had exacted a heavy toll upon her physical form- not that she truly minded such heavy exercise. In fact, she found it to be quite the release of tension.

"Well, that went well." She said with no hint of sarcasm in her voice. She had thoroughly enjoyed the reckless dismemberment of the vines. Her partner, as always, had other thoughts pertaining to their situation.

"Yeah. We were lucky we made it out alive." S199 replied dryly.

"Really? You're gonna be that way?" She whined.

"What way? Do you think I'm trying to be pessimistic here? Because I'm not. I'm being honest with you, S047. We were _very_ lucky to make it out of there alive, especially without any assistance from Andromeda. You realize that, don't you?"

She didn't answer immediately. She knew where he was leading with this and she didn't particularly care to entertain such a conversation. Not now. Not today. Today was a good day. Today was the day of their first mission. Today was the day of her first _kill_. And she wouldn't let him ruin such a joyous occasion by dragging it down with his _concerns_. She skillfully steered the conversation to one with fewer accusations.

"We should find the rest of our squad. Lupus and Aquila are most likely here by now. And I have a hunch we will be needed soon." A piercing roar echoed from the distance as if to emphasize her point; though it was far closer than it had been mere minutes ago. "Speak of the devil and he shall appear," she muttered more to herself than her partner.

The roar had been from a Gutenberg-class Klaxosaur. Which meant it was a positively massive specimen and was a threat to other plantations as long as it lived. Which meant it would be a fine first kill for her. Perhaps, she wouldn't actually mind the glory of the Praetorian's capture being stolen by Andromeda.

S199 wasn't oblivious to his partner's dodging of his accusations, but she was correct in the fact that the mission came first. The mission had changed though. But that was fine. They would adapt. They always had. And they always would.

He tried to raise his squad leader- Andromeda- via the comm channel. No luck. That wasn't particularly unexpected, but it had been a rather vain hope of his that it would be otherwise so. They had suddenly lost contact with their comrades shortly after becoming caught up in the rampant growths that the Praetorian had spawned. It would appear that the appendages emitted a scrambling signal of unpredictable effectiveness, which was most likely related to the field of electrical disruption the monster created as well. But he couldn't be sure for he was no Klaxo-biologist and could only rely on what information he could gather and then make his best guess from such information. What _wonderful_ creatures these Klaxosaurs were.

Next, he tried to raise the remaining two Franxx units within their squad. Fortune favored him on this day though and their voices came in with a welcoming clarity, only an occasional blurt of static making its presence known.

"This is Lupus. We read you loud and clear, Orion." Said a voice that strained with an enthusiasm to prove himself. That would be the stamen of Lupus, S239.

"Aquila here as well. What's your status, Orion? We lost you for several minutes. Andromeda's signal is dark as well." Replied the stamen of Aquila, S922. He spoke in a controlled measure that hid his true feelings quite well, as he often attempted to during missions. But S199 knew his friend better than anyone and he could detect the slightest bit of an undertone of concern that betrayed his true feelings. He couldn't help but smile to himself, proud that his friend felt such concern.

With his fellow stamen on the same shared channel, he was able to deliver his report with no delay. "We engaged the Praetorian and it got away. Andromeda is in pursuit as well, but we are unsure of their current location. The target deployed defensive countermeasures that have made a large area of the city difficult to navigate, in addition to cloaking its activities. Andromeda entered the afflicted region in order to retrieve us, but we never made contact with them. It's safe to assume they are still within the area. We were able to extract ourselves with not too much difficulty though, thank Papa. We are standing by now." Crisp and efficient.

S922 clicked his tongue across the open channel. He was annoyed that the mission had deteriorated so quickly, but such situations were to be expected during their missions. It also meant that Aquila now shouldered the burden of field command in Andromeda's temporary absence. Not that he believed that to be a problem, in fact, it was rather fitting for one of his talents. "Alright then. Lupus, I'm tracking that you're closest to the Gutenberg class."

"This is true." Replied her pistil.

"What's the situation over there?"

"Very poor. This thing is massive and it's not stopping. It's crushing buildings that are in its path. We are quite a ways away from it still and we're already encountering lesser Klaxos. Too many for us to handle as we are now. We will have to go dark to avoid the larger packs, but we will take out what we can manage. I believe the Sage was right in writing this place off. We can't win against these numbers." The pistil delivered her report with admirable calm.

S199 heard his friend 'hmph' audibly as he took in the report. He knew what S922 was already thinking. They may not be able to win conventionally speaking, but they could still pull a victory from this situation. All they needed to do was to delay the Klaxosaur menace for enough time that Andromeda returned victoriously. There was no doubt in any of the parasites' minds as to whether or not their leaders would return. Instead, it was simply a matter of _when_ they would do so.

Following that simple conclusion, there was only one thing the squad could logically do in the meantime. And that was to hold the line. S922 began to issue orders to his fellows.

"Lupus, I need you to lure the Gutenberg to the city's center. We will be able to maneuver better there than within the confined streets." All plantations were designed with a standard layout in mind and Plantation 26 was no exception. Every city had a massively-wide, but rather shallow, reservoir of water near the center. It served as an emergency cooling tank for the magma processors, should such an event as disastrous as a meltdown ever occur. It was also the most open area in the whole plantation, and was the perfect staging point for a battle, despite its rather close proximity to said processors. "And Orion, I want you on the center island with clear sight lines. Let the Gutenberg enter fully and then unleash as much ordnance as possible. Bring that thing down and expose its core. Aquila will land the killing blow once the core is vulnerable. Everyone got it?" Every parasite, both male and female, answered in the affirmative.

"Good. We have no time to waste. Move out." And with that simple statement, the squad moved to their respective duties. There was no cohesion for each Franxx was spaced far away from each other, but their training had often placed special emphasis upon individual movements. They were a team, but they were fully capable of operating as single units. This made them more adaptable than other squads. This made them more _lethal_ than other squads. And none of the squad embodied this line of thinking more than Lupus.

* * *

Within the light-less streets and between the vacant and powerless buildings, cloaked in jealous shadows and advanced technology, a silhouette cast in crude mimicry of a twisted human moved in complete silence. From shadow to shadow did it travel, careful to avoid any unnecessary exposure. Despite its stealthy approach, it moved swiftly, its movements displaying utter surety in every step. But this was no insubstantial apparition from the underworld, instead, it was a nanomagnesium-titan forged from fire and molten metal and slaved to a singular, brutal purpose: murder.

Her skin was a midnight-blue, that shade of which seemed to draw in the shadows around it, further shrouding it in darkness. She cast a silhouette that bore the barest of resemblances to the human form as she prowled ever onward in a hunched gait, forced to stoop by her very design. With the singular exception of her right arm, her limbs were otherwise long and lithe, bereft of any heavy armor that would only serve to slow her down. Thrusters sat cold and dormant upon her hunched back, waiting to roar into life once more. The head was elongated, like a canine's, and the digital face projected across it was twisted in a predator's cruel sneer. Depthless, black eyes, like chips of onyx, stared unblinking from where they were set within this face. Unlike the chassis, the head bore no resemblance to the species that had designed it. The only part of this murder-machine that stood out in the dark was the magma weaponry it was bonded with. These heinous violations of basic stealth principles included three bright blades of magma running up and along her slender left forearm. She was further equipped with a short, punching dagger held within the hand of the bladed arm and a far heavier, curved khopesh blade in the other. This lethal lady of the night was known simply as Lupus and it was the smallest, and perhaps the most specialized, of all the S.T.A.R.R.S Franxx units.

They served Papa today as bait, a role which they had been allocated many times within the simulations that they had run endlessly in order to hone their talents. It was true that they were the aptest to perform such a role, given their unmatched speed and incredible agility, which were far in excess of any Franxx ever commissioned, but the parasites of Lupus knew their role better than their comrades. They were not the hunted. They were the hunters. And neither parasite understood this more than the pistil of Lupus, S174.

She kept a watchful eye upon the softly chiming motion sensor that sat within the corner of her vision. It pinged loudly and a sensor sweep was sent out into the surrounding area only to return after a moment's delay. She acknowledged the return as the echoes revealed to her what awaited them just ahead. Two contacts of clearly hostile origin, one similar in size to Lupus and another nearly three times their mass. Perfect.

S174 spoke with utter calmness to her partner. "Silent Running."

Without a word her partner- S239- complied and keyed in the command upon his throne.

The Franxx itself generated an excessive amount of noise, as war-machines that clocked in at nearly thirty meters of height tended to do, but with a few special modifications, anything was technically possible. The subsystems activated and any noise being generated was instantly silenced by various, highly advanced technologies that bordered on the realm of pure fantasy. Energy dampeners kicked in as well, concealing any heat signatures that such a machine would inevitably produce. Specialized material upon her hull activated, acting like a second, chameleon-esque skin, and her silhouette shimmered and dissolved as it melted into the background. Lupus essentially hid herself from every possible sensor technology known to man. Only by looking with an organic eyeball directly at the machine's exact location would she be revealed, but only if the user of said eyeball was actually paying close attention. A cursory glance would reveal nothing out of the ordinary, as the original designers had planned. Her parasites also boasted that should they remain idle for a moment, then true invisibility would claim them.

The only downside to this entire process was the monumental energy cost. It bordered on the wrong side of ridiculous. To supplement such a drain of energy a larger, more efficient magma-reactor had to be installed within the already abnormally small chassis. Consequently, this made the addition of any armor nearly impossible to perform without sacrificing combat ability. This also ensured Lupus would clock in at about only twenty-seven meters in height, the smallest of any Franxx unit ever commissioned.

S174 didn't mind this downsizing as she turned her mount down a narrow street that would have been impassable for any of Lupus's larger sisters. In fact, she enjoyed the role their Franxx was designed for. That of a skilled huntress, striking only when all was in readiness. This absolute commitment to the art of killing meant there was no hesitation in their movements as they exited the street swiftly and she slashed with Lupus's curved magma-khopesh through the first target she found.

The Klaxosaur, a quadrupedal crab-like creature, squealed as its front legs were clipped out from under it. It fell forward and was silenced as its singular eye was pierced by the dagger held in Lupus's other hand. It died as the dagger pierced through to the core, an explosion of blue gore coating the assailant. First blood to Lupus.

S174 tallied the kill in her mind as she moved to the second contact. The next contact was the larger enemy, easily three times Lupus's mass, and it was shaped like a fat-bodied tick that had swelled grotesquely upon consuming too much blood. The thing repulsed her with its hideously abominable and apparent parasitical design. She wanted to kill it, but that would take far too long for them to find the core. Time was of the essence if they wished to ensure their orders were completed in a timely manner. She couldn't afford to forget that.

She settled for slashing its face with their khopesh, hoping whatever senses it used to perceive the world were located there. It screeched and retreated backwards, stubby, claw-tipped legs flailing blindly in defense. But Lupus didn't press the attack, much to S174's disappointment. Instead, S239 guided their mount past the injured beast and down another street that, which until a moment ago the Klaxosaur had obstructed with its considerable bulk. The creature had merely been in their way, and nothing more. They left the maimed enemy howling in pain behind them as they surged through the gaps in between buildings.

Lupus continued in silence, cloaked as much by the darkness of the lifeless plantation as she was by technology. Her form was hunched low, head lowered to the ground, hunting like the beast from which she drew her name. Her sensor pinged again, sniffing for the enemy.

S239 pulled the Franxx up short, careful to remain hidden within the shadow of a large building, as the echoes returned with solid contacts. The motion sensor was displayed upon his visor's tactical overlay as well, and an absolutely staggering amount of quickly fading contacts had been revealed. No, he shook his head as he realized the grim reality. The contacts briefly represented were the toppling of buildings by the Gutenberg-class. Perhaps a handful of them were actually Klaxosaurs, but the number had to be few. And not only that but a single, crimson blob of worrying size pulsed angrily just at the maximum range. This was the target itself. And it was just down the street, at least in terms of mech-warfare.

"So," he asked his partner, "are you ready for this?"

"I was just about to ask you the same thing," S174 replied in a tone that was dangerously close to concealing humor within it. He knew this to be otherwise. She was always so focused in a mission, but she would occasionally make concessions and come very close to cracking a joke or even dropping a sultry remark here and there. One time, she had even flirted, albeit with another stamen. But, such rare breaches of her otherwise impeccable bearing were incredibly rare. He shamefully entertained that she loosened her discipline when it was just the two of them and allowed such breaches to occur more often, but he had no basis to prove this.

"Let's do this then."

Lupus sprinted free from her cover, the shadows seeming to cling to her form as she broke into the glaring, natural light that speared from the breached plantation wall. Silent running was switched off and the energy saved was rerouted to her legs so that she could push to a speed unreachable by the lesser Klaxosaurs.

It was a long sprint to the Gutenberg, one that was fraught with several of its smaller kin serving as the vanguard, just as predicted. Each beast was easily the size of Lupus, if not outright larger to begin with. One of the Conrad-classed creatures threw itself bodily at the approaching Franxx, but they moved far too fast and promptly dodged around its clumsy assault. Their speed didn't even slow due to the laughably futile attempt on their lives nor did they alter course as they surged into the dusty miasma that had been unleashed by the Gutenberg's relentless advance.

As soon as S174 judged they were within range she willed their jump-jets to life and they responded. They boosted clear from the ground, breaching from the thick cloud surrounding them and arcing towards the monster's face. She pulled their arm back before striking at the perfect moment. Her blade slashed through several sets of the creature's eyes, but she was careful to miss a single pair. She stabbed their dagger into the 'flesh' just below the optical organs and caught Lupus before they could fall to the ground far below. She grunted with neural-sympathetic effort as they pulled themselves upwards until they rested like a rock-climber on a vertical face.

The Gutenberg's remaining pair of eyes focused upon the vaguely humanoid form that clung to its face. Lupus waved their khopesh in mock greeting to the beast.

"Catch us, abomination, if you can," S174 told the beast; though she knew it couldn't possibly understand her taunt.

Lupus pushed off the Klaxosaur's hide in a graceful backflip as the creature howled ferociously at their arrogant assault. They landed nimbly on their feet, crouching low to absorb the impact. They were speeding off towards the city center before the Gutenberg could even smash a trunk-like foot into the ground in retaliation, grinding several small buildings to dust beneath its heavy tread.

S174 allowed a small smile to grace her lips as the lumbering titan adjusted course and began to follow them. It would appear that real Klaxosaurs were just as single-minded as their simulated kin. Which would make this all the easier. She opened the squad channel and hailed Orion's stamen.

"Target acquired, I hope you're in position already. ETA is...," she quickly did the math in her head, "...approximately forty seconds. The target will be in close pursuit."

"Roger that, Lupus. As soon as you can, get out of the danger zone. I don't want a friendly fire incident on our first mission."

"Copy that, Orion." Of course, she didn't need to be told that lingering in Orion's line of fire was a bad idea, but S199 was always a little too 'controlling' of those around him. He had to be though when one considered his partner was a loose cannon in every aspect. S174 reserved a fair amount of respect for someone able to deal with _her_ on a daily basis.

She felt her thoughts begin to drift into areas that did not pertain to her immediate mission and she promptly clamped down upon them. Now was no time for idle thoughts. Now was the time for action. And soon, very soon, would come the time to kill.

S174 smiled coldly at these thoughts as they finally broke free from the city's restrictive streets and splashed knee-deep into the reservoir. They launched forward in a quick burst and then began to move at an angle. The Gutenberg was close behind them, entering only a few heartbeats later.

Then the world was lost to the thunderous sounds of Orion's arsenal.

* * *

We walked for some time. It could have been minutes or it could have been hours, I could not tell nor did I truly care. My sense of time had always been unreliable at best. And down in the dark of the world, where no natural light dared to enter, it became nearly impossible for a surface dweller such as I to keep any sensible track of time. This was not my world for I was merely a guest here. But, it did belong to the other. And for this reason alone did we walk with a measure of confidence in our gait.

The tunnel itself was the embodiment of darkness. The only 'light' within its confines originated from pulsing pustules of blue bioluminescence that hung sporadically along the ceiling as if to light the way; although they really only served to suffuse the tunnel with an ambient gloom that weighed heavily upon the mind like a drug-fueled haze. And still, this meager lighting was more than enough for our shared eyes.

Occasionally, a creature, usually of relative size to us, or even smaller, would shuffle out of the dark. These ones gave us a wide birth, as if they sensed our aura of hostility. Or, perhaps, they truly understood the key's importance. I entertained the former over the latter. After scuffling around the edges of the tunnel, almost comically avoiding us, they would then continue on the path from whence we came, usually with an abhorrent screech that grated against my nerves. A portion of me wanted to slaughter them for daring to make such bothersome noise, but I chose to refrain from committing such an act. At least, for now.

We stopped suddenly as we came to a vast darkness that opened before us. I turned our head downwards and felt an instinctual fear take hold within my stomach. There was no bottom to this pit it told me. There was no end. Of course, this was simply the animalistic, superstitious core of my hind-brain leaping to baseless conclusions. The more evolved, logical portion of my brain told me that a bottomless hole was simply impossible. Earth was very large, but ultimately it was a finite space and the idea of such an actual phenomenon existing was simply impossible. Despite this fact, I couldn't shake the instinctual fear of falling into it, for the human portion of me was still susceptible to such a base fear, and that was inexcusable to me. There was no need for fear here, no cause for it. So I crushed such a trifling distraction before it could escalate into a problem. This was a hole, massive though it may be, and nothing more.

It's okay to be afraid.

 **BEGONE!** My mind pulsed with sudden ferocity before I could stop it, shaking away the other's presence like a grazing herbivore shaking off a clinging predator. The other recoiled as if struck and I felt a momentary twinge of guilt. Perhaps I had been a bit... excessive in my reaction. Surprising even myself, I moved to apologize.

I'm sorry... I didn't mean to react so strongly. You caught me off guard. I warned you before though not to pry too deeply.

I know... and I apologize for prying. But, I have been true to my promise. I have not peered into your thoughts. Your emotions though are another matter entirely. They flare brightly across the link when you experience them and I cannot fail to notice such disturbances. If you desire it, I shall attempt to ignore such things in the future. As you said, they do distract from our mission.

Yes. Please, ignore such outbursts. They are a regrettable hindrance, but emotions do have their advantages, at times. Perhaps, in the future, I will be able to show you what I mean. For now though, do try to ignore any such disturbances upon my end.

Very well, bondmate. I will leave such things to you. But, if they become a problem or begin to interfere with the mission, I will act to rectify the situation.

Then we have reached an acceptable agreement, 'bondmate'. What an odd term they employed.

We pushed off the edge, aiming for the center of the hole, and fell even deeper into the black depths below the surface. And as we fell I noticed movement upon the walls. Dozens upon dozens of beasts, insectoids, and crustacean-like creatures crawled, slithered, or found some other exotic means of traversing the wall as they advanced to the surface. They all screeched and howled as we dropped past them, the tunnel ringing to their cries.

Our descent was heralded by an ensemble of monsters.

I sensed the bottom, but we made no move to arrest our momentum. With the key held tightly to our chest, we made our landing in a bone-jarring impact that would have shattered any material known to man. But, our body was not man-made and it held together despite the awful force threatening to flatten us. Several of the other's kin screeched noisily at our unexpected arrival as they hastily made room for our bulk. There was no impact crater beneath us. The floor was smooth and pristine as glass, completely unaffected by our landing. Fascinating.

We found ourselves in a large, circular chamber that branched off into several lesser tunnels. But, one tunnel stood out from the rest as overwhelmingly large and was even further distanced from the other tunnels by the intricate decorations of ornate glyphs and symbols of unnatural origin that encircled its mouth. At least half a dozen of the other's kin arrived from this entrance, screeching and howling as they wasted no time in climbing the walls of our current chamber. The other insisted we travel into this tunnel. And who was I to argue the point?

Moving closer to the tunnel's entrance, it seemed as if the designs glowed brighter, seemingly in response to our presence. Perhaps they really did, or perhaps it was merely my imagination. Either way did not particularly concern me, but it did stoke my curiosity as to their origins and purpose. And as we drew closer I could make out far more shapes than I had originally seen. For a second I thought there might be _too_ many as if they were multiplying before my very eyes. But the illusion dissolved quickly as we finally closed the distance and I realized that very fine strands of light spread out and away from each symbol, crawling across the wall and becoming lost in the darkness. We proceeded to enter the main tunnel, and even more of the lines flowed through here, like circuitry upon a motherboard. Curiosity finally overcame my apathy.

You're kin? I inquired.

Yes. They are our creations. The other did not care to elaborate any further.

The softly glowing lines seemed to never end, curling in upon themselves and splitting into ever greater intricacies of imagination as they flowed like liquid mercury in the near-darkness. But, not one of these lines ever turned harshly at an angle, instead they curved and intertwined with flawless grace. Oddly enough, there was no pattern to their design and certainly no repetition that I could determine. I came to the conclusion that this was not a language, for if it was I would have been able to decipher it rather easily. Not that I was a skilled linguist, but I could interpret the other's written symbols that flashed across my vision with ease. But these lines had nothing in common with such glyphs. I decided that they must have held an artistic value of some sort, perhaps even a cultural significance.

What are they then? They are not your language, that much I can gather.

You can not hear them?

I listened for a moment as we continued to walk down the tunnel. No, I hear nothing within these depths, except for the occasional screech of your bestial kin.

If you truly hear nothing then you cannot ever possibly comprehend what flows through these walls. Do not mistake my explanation for condescension, you simply lack the senses for true understanding.

Then do your best to describe it in terms I can understand. I have an imagination after all. I can fill in the gaps.

Why? Why should I try to detail such a method to an outsider? This place is very nearly considered consecrated ground by my kin. Your presence would never be tolerated here if we were not bound together as we are.

Outsider? Is that truly how you see your 'bondmate'? Do you have so little faith in me? I thought our destinies were tied together and all that nonsense. Was that just a lie to you?

The other was silent for a long moment as we stalked further down the tunnel. Across whatever medium carried our experiences between each other I felt a myriad of emotions flash through them, spiking high and then plunging low just as quick. I offered the same courtesy I expected from them though and offered no comment upon any of this. Our relationship was already cracking and I couldn't risk any further fissures. Not this early. Trust was such a fragile thing.

It's not that I _don't_ trust you, but I remember my culture being very... stubborn. To invite one not born of our species into it could be seen as taboo.

I turned our body to inspect a sound I had heard from across the way. A long, segmented creature that reminded me of a centipede crawled down the tunnel in the direction we had come from, completely ignorant, or perhaps just uncaring, to our presence. Its blade-tipped feet, of which there were hundreds, tapped lightly upon the floor in a chittering rhythm. There was no mistaking it for anything other than one of 'our kin' though.

 _Right_... because your people are the epitome of civilized culture at this moment in time.

Do not mock my people, broken one! We ruled this world, and many more besides, before your kind had even crawled out of the primordial soup of evolution!

Woah, that was harsh. An insult directed at me _and_ my species? Did I hit a nerve that easily? In truth I wasn't the least bit offended by the other's instant retaliation, perhaps even a little amused by their intensity. I may have overstepped my bounds anyways by what I had suggested- that their people were monsters- could easily be seen as rude and uncalled for in a more 'civilized' setting. The fact that it was true didn't exactly help my case though and bringing up such a fact now was a sure way to erode our already fragile trust. But, I was more than curious as to their choice of words. Other worlds? How much did the other truly remember about their own kind? Every time we spoke I dug deeper and deeper into the other's psyche. Slowly I was beginning to understand my 'bondmate' on a more personal level. But, I needed more information.

I'm sorry, that was harsh of me to say. I didn't mean to lash out. It's just... when I try to remember my people I feel... conflicted. A fierce pride of our many achievements. But, also a deep, hidden shame of something that I can't quite make out.

Emotions are so distracting, I thought to myself; though I dared not share the thought with the other. I wasn't entirely sure if it _was_ my thought to begin with anyways.

Shame of what? Are you ashamed of yourself? Or your people's actions?

I don't... remember. Is there even a distinction? This is all too confusing. Our minds are too empty at the moment. We were a single mind whilst we slept, and that is now taking its toll upon us. Neither mind can actually separate what belongs to it and what does not. This is why we are so... conflicted. Do you happen to recall your past life in any particular detail?

Shattered memories, vague emotional impressions, and general knowledge that is completely useless without context. That's all I have. Same on your end?

Yes.

How truly wonderful our situation is. Is there any way we could fix all of this? Any way you can think of that would clear our minds and let us separate which memories, and emotions, belong to whom?

We could physically separate. It's certainly not an ideal plan, but our minds are intertwined heavily. If we were to break the physical connection, it would, theoretically, allow us to reorient our thoughts as two separate, physical entities. Or we could die. It's entirely possible that we are simply too connected to ever truly separate again.

Hmm. I like those odds. We should try it when we get the chance.

That's... quite possibly the most insane thing I have ever heard. There is no guarantee it would even work. It's merely a theory, and a poor one at that. There is no data to even back it.

We have already risked death today. And I'm sure we will risk it again very soon. After all, what is life without a little risk of death? So, what's one more chance?

It's an unnecessary risk.

Not to me. I wish to know what we truly are. How did we even meet? I know I was formerly human. But, how did I end up here? And what force bound us together? Surely our meeting cannot be a mere coincidence. The answers to my questions are locked away within my skull, perhaps even within yours, and I yearn to uncover them. Besides, the more we know about humanity means the easier it will be to fight them, correct? And I have a vast amount of knowledge of humans. Will you help me, my partner?

Once again the other was silent as they mulled over my request. Good. Such a delay meant they were taking me seriously and not simply dismissing my thoughts.

Okay. We will try to unlock both our memories later, but first, you must make a promise to me. No matter what you remember, you must remain by my side until the end. No matter what is revealed about either of our pasts you must stand with me to the end as an ally. Even if the path we walk now goes against your former ideals. Promise me this.

Now was my turn to remain silent. Even though it was a simple promise it could easily become a massive burden. What if we _were_ in the wrong? After all, the other had simply stated we were acting within the best interests of all by serving _her-_ whomever _that_ was. But what assurance did I really have that what they said was true? None. None at all. Only their word that it was the truth. My word was my bond, and by giving it to them I could very well make myself out to be an enemy of mankind, assuming I had not done so already. But, without access to my memories, what could I base such a decision upon? I made up my mind at that moment.

I accept. I swear that I will stand by your side, until the bitter end. This I promise as your partner and 'bondmate'. I am bound to my word until the last beat of my heart.

A pulse of acceptance was sent across our mental link, both parties returning it. A neural handshake. It was done. The promise had been made and would be fulfilled, no matter what. Something still nagged at me though.

By the way, what is your name?

My name? I do not yet remember.

Same here. I insist we take a moment to choose new names though.

Why?

We have to consider that we may never recover our memories. In that case, new lives will require new names. Wouldn't you agree? And if we give each other a name it solidifies our partnership. So, will you name me? I'll give you a name too.

Fine, if it is so important to you then I will comply. What is my name?

I went sifting through the remnants of my mind. There wasn't much that I truly remembered, but something stood out to me within that cluttered, vague mess: a name was important. Very important. A name carried hidden meaning within it. To name something gave it legitimacy. It gave it _power_. So, I couldn't take this lightly. My culture had both a first and a last name assigned to an individual. The surname was familial and the first was the individual's name. I eschewed the last name as irrelevant. We had no cause for it, not when only two of us were relevant. I began searching for anything that could possibly be assigned as a name, but I hit a tiny snag.

What gender are you? My cultural has names that fit separately into masculine and feminine roles, and some that even fulfill both.

Does that truly matter?

It does for naming purposes. If it bothers you I'll find something neutral.

I care little. Either will sound fine to my ears, such is the difference in our cultures. But, I am female, if that helps.

I briefly tried to imagine the other's biological body. What did their ears even look like? Were they comparable to a human's? Did their eyes see in the dark, adapted to a life below the surface? What diseases plagued their kind? What did their females even _look_ like? What did their-... I stopped myself before that thought progressed any further. Such questions were completely irrelevant to our continued partnership. Perhaps I would ask one day, purely out of scientific curiosity of course, but I had something more important to attend to first.

Lilith. You will be known as Lilith to me.

Lilith? This pleases me. Lilith it is then. And now, I get to choose a name for you. Oh, so many choices...

I felt something emanating from Lilith that caught me completely off guard. It was amusement. _She_ was amused. I had the first inkling that letting her select my name was a poor decision that I may soon come to regret.

Can I look at your memories?

What? Why?

I wish to choose a name appropriate for your culture.

Is that so? Why hadn't I thought of that? Was I being rude by naming them- _her,_ something from my culture? But, she had accepted it. So, it was good, right? Or maybe our minds were truly so different that our lines of thought were utterly unpredictable to each other? No, that wouldn't be right. We had to be at least mildly compatible in order for this melding of minds to ever occur.

Well, may I?

I had gone far overboard on thinking about her intentions. Perhaps I should just lower the wall and let her in, if only briefly. Besides, I could barely find anything within my own mind, so she surely wouldn't find anything too important in there.

Fine, you may peak. But, don't dig too deep.

Thank you. I promise I will be quick.

I felt something probe my mind. It was... soft? And gentle. Like a lover's hand had brushed through my hair. It was an entirely uncomfortable sensation to me and nearly caused me to shrug her off once more, but this time I clamped down upon the sensation before another incident occurred. I was getting better at this.

Samael. You shall be Samael to me.

An interesting choice. How far did you dig for that?

Not far. I pulled it from the surface, actually.

Interesting. How did you know I was masculine?

I didn't. I just cared little for the name's gender role. To me, it sounds like a fitting name for you. So, it's what I chose. Lilith answered as if it was the simplest thing in the world. Considering the brief amount of time we had spent together since our awakening, choosing a name was far more simple than the battles we had already fought.

Hmm. Very well. Then I am Samael. Now that all that is sorted out I'd like to ask my earlier question once more. What are these lines? As we had conversed within our shared head, our stride had taken us further along the tunnel and the density of the lines had increased dramatically until the darkness had finally been dispelled, banished by the sheer volume of light the lines radiated. The tunnel was practically incandescent due to the overabundance of silvery-light. Such an environmental influence could no longer be ignored.

I was fully prepared for Lilith to ignore me once again, as I could have overstepped my bounds. And after a moment I believed she could possibly have taken the silent approach. But, I would be pleasantly surprised.

The lines are 'recordings' of a type. I cannot go into anymore depth, as you are restrained by your own senses, but I'll do my best to elaborate. Each line was engraved and subsequently filled with a unique alloy we developed that mimics a neural network. This allows them to process information like a sentient mind, but the data that flows through these networks is composed directly of my kin. These lines hold crude impressions of their personalities. All that they were, all that they had achieved across their lifespan, was digitized and stored within these vast, world-spanning networks. This entire tunnel is not simply a main service tunnel, but also serves as the primary multiplexer for the outlying hubs of the network.

So... they're data cables? Fascinating. I wonder how efficient such a method is? But, why would you say this place is sacred to your kind if it only contains information?

Because the data that flows through here is not merely _copied_ from my people's minds. It _is_ their mind. Or rather, what's left of their minds. My species reached a critical point in evolution long ago in which we could no longer evolve naturally. This is the result of us overcoming that limitation. Some of us, like the others and I that you insist on labeling 'monsters', remained behind as guardians in the physical world. But, the majority of us were blessed to ascend into a higher form of life within the circuit. Within these streams they live on, barely conscious of the fate they were chosen for, as they live out an eternity of passive observation until they are needed once again.

Why? Why would they willingly give up their physical forms for what sounds more and more like a prison?

Because we were running out of resources. We had a trillion souls in this system and we were quickly running low on the necessities required to support our civilization. We were the last of our race and we were failing. We needed to take action. So, we did. The vast majority of our species gave up their physical bodies, ascending into this new state of gestalt consciousness that consumed no energy and was completely sustainable indefinitely. Some, such as the most efficient warrior caste members and the most skilled bioweavers, were left behind as guardians of this new civilization.

Your people sound like they shouldn't have made such a rash decision. The lights pulsed blindingly around us, as if a power surge had occurred.

What was that?

Remember when you said you cannot hear them and I was slightly confused? Well, I was curious at the time, because they can certainly hear _you_. So, be careful of what you send across our link. It's rather easy for them to intercept such communication. And they can become easily offended. They have given up much of their individual personalities, but they formed a community of nearly a trillion individuals that all hold similar beliefs and abide by the same rigged cultural principles. Such a mind is not to be taken lightly, especially when one considers how prideful my species was. We must not linger here any longer, not in this area. It is saturated with their presences. And _you_ really stand out.

 _Me_?! How so?

Your thought patterns are vastly different from my kind. For instance, drop a bowl of oil in a stream of water. The oil won't ever truly mix with the water, even though both are liquids.

Water molecules are more attracted to each other than the molecules within the oil. That's why they don't mix. Using that metaphor as a reference, I should basically be ignored by your kin.

Then it was a poor metaphor. I apologize. But, you understand now, do you not?

Sure. I guess. And how do you remember all of this? I thought your memories were just as vague as mine?

I'm not remembering any of it. Do you recall that they can hear you though? Well, every question that you sent across the link was heard by them and they haven't stopped sending me information about every possible topic that is even slightly related. I'm just translating to you what they send. I had forgotten most of this information.

Forgotten most, but not all. What was the little amount that you remembered? I asked of her. She had begun to sound sad, and for an inexplicable reason, I had become concerned. Maybe because by naming her I felt partially responsible for her. That must have been it.

I only remember I had been left behind. Like so many others. And like so many had been before. Why would they leave us...?

Lilith suddenly sounded very distant, and she was quickly fading. I was instantly on the alert. Something was definitely off. But, what could it be?

Lilith, what do you mean?

...So many were lost then. So many comrades forgotten and left behind. A-a-a-and for what? A war that began because of our own arrogance and vanity? We were fools to ever believe we could become g-g-g-gods...

Lilith, can you hear me? Her communications were suddenly filled with glitchy errors, like a sound system with faulty wiring. She resumed stuttering.

...W-we we we we lost so many in the final battle and the war isn't e-e-e-e-even over. Do they even care? Do they care for the fallen? And after all we did for them... ju-..ju-..ju-... just tools for them...

I could hear her thoughts becoming erratic across the link, so I sent a 'test ping' across. It was like slapping someone across the face to restore sanity. The return was strong, too strong to be the link failing. Which meant that something was wrong on _her_ side. Her mind was collapsing upon itself.

Lilith, listen to me. What's going on on your end? I could feel something creep across the link, that primal companion that dug its icy talons into all living organisms' psyche: fear. She was afraid now. But, of what? What could inspire such dread within her?

...-nemy comes to us. W-w-w-w need to stand and and and and and an-...

Our form stopped suddenly, the knees locking in place. I willed them forward, but they did not respond. In fact, nothing was responding correctly. A moment later our arms fell to the side and the key was dropped to the ground in a crash. The sensation was slowly creeping away from our shared body and I quickly began to panic. I realized suddenly what was happening. Our connection was failing! It must have been a data overload. She was most likely lost in a storm of information, assaulted by the vast amount of circuits present in this area. I thought about calling out again, but I restrained myself. Calling out would only attract more attention to us and worsen the problem. I was the problem. The catalyst. Which meant I had to take responsibility. We needed to move.

Slowly, as if our joints were rusted through, I took a single, faltering step. The effort behind it was monumental and I felt like we would fall at any moment. I tightened our clawed hand around the key's tail and took another shuddering step. The key was dragged behind us in a grinding of metal. Hell, it was heavier than it looked. Where had all of our strength gone? No, it wasn't ours, it was _Lilith's_. I had merely borrowed it when we fought. I was weak compared to her. I was only human, after all.

I shook our head, or at least tried to, in order to clear such thoughts. No, I _was_ strong, in my own way. The way in which Lilith needed me to be. One more step. Just concentrate on that.

Lilith continued upon her tirade.

...lost them all. They took them. They took them all... a-a-a-a-a-rrogance will be their downfall. As it was oursssssss-...

Another step was taken. And another. And another. I faltered, our body wobbling dangerously as I came close to losing control, but I barely managed to save us from total collapse. Forward. Just, forward. That's all there ever was. That's all there will ever be.

The link was cluttered by her thoughts as she struck out blindly. The words were often half-formed and the context incomprehensible.

...S-s-s-s-s-sinssssss of us. Come to to to to to to claim us...

I closed our eyes. This was an entirely different sensation than from before. But, I wasn't alone like I had been upon the surface. Before I had been left with the controls, but now I was trying to take them away. It made things far more difficult.

I remembered our promise, made only minutes before. It had no history to it. No weight behind it. It wasn't made between two friends. Or siblings. Or even lovers. It was just a promise between two not-so-entirely separate beings, made purely for the sake of ensuring our mutual survival. But, none of that mattered truly. What mattered to me was a single, simple fact: I had made a promise. It mattered not that it was new. Or that the one I had sworn myself to was an unknowable, foreign entity to me. I had made a promise to stand with her until the end. Even if she herself could not stand. I was a man of my word after all. And so, I fulfilled my promise.

Slowly, I made progress. I concentrated on the steps. Take one, and then take a rest. Take another, and then take a rest. Haul the key behind me like a corpse, and then take the next step. Rinse and repeat. Over and over again did I do this.

Always forward. Always forward. Always forward. I repeated this as a mantra with every step.

Always forward. Always forward. Always forward. Always forward. Always forward. Always forward.

Always forward. Always forward. Always forward. Always forward. Always forward. Always forward.

Always forward. Always forward. Always forward. Always forward. Always forward. Always forward.

Always forward. Always forward. Always forward. Always forward. Always forward. Always forward.

Always forward. Always forward. Always forward. Always forward. Always forward. Always forward.

Always forward. Always forward. Always forward. Always forward. Always forward. Always forward.

Always forward. Always forward. Always forward. Always forward. Always forward. Always for-

Samael?

Our eyes opened. The gloomy underworld had returned. The circuits no longer surrounded us.

Lilith? Are you back?

Yes... I'm sorry I couldn't control myself. I was just... it's just... how?

I promised.

But... that's it?

Yes. I made a promise.

I was confused. All the data coming in... I just couldn't handle it. I jeopardized our mission-

Enough. You owe me no explanation. What's done is done. I did nothing more than adhere to our promise.

Do you truly invest that much in our promise?

Of course. An oath is an oath. No matter how small.

...Thank you...

I pushed acknowledgment across the link, simulating as best I could a head-nod. I hoped such a gesture was universal. She returned it, thankfully. And with that, her moment of weakness was forgiven.

I didn't, not for a single moment, believe she had been simply overloaded by the data. Not after listening to her broken speech. Maybe that had been a factor, but there had to be more. I recognized far too many signs for it to be but a simple lapse in concentration. Her mind was sick. I may have forgiven her, but I didn't forget it. I would investigate the incident at a later date. But, for her sake, I accepted the lie as the truth, for now.

With our eyes finally open, I was able to take in our new surroundings. It was still the same cave, but it had opened up significantly more. The ceiling was now stretching far above our head and I could see the glowing lines stretching upwards upon the wall behind us, reaching for the vaulted ceiling. The network must have had an incredibly short distance if it was no longer affecting Lilith, but then I remembered how large we truly were. Maybe, it wasn't as short a range as I had initially thought. Perhaps its range would even increase if a larger concentration of circuits were present, I mused idly to myself.

So, where to now?

It is as you said. Always forward.

 _Ha._ You heard all that, did you?

I was around for the last few repetitions. It was adorably simple, but quite effective. You humans sure are an interesting breed.

I suppose we are.

We turned to look at the key that had been dragged unceremoniously down the tunnel. And, aside from a few new scratches, it appeared relatively unharmed. We transferred the key once more into a bridal carry and advanced down what I assumed to be a presentation hall of some sorts.

Large columns, wider than us and with dedicated light sources attached to them, were spaced evenly in order to support the roof far above our head. Massive banners, sewn from an unknown material that showed no hint of decay despite the eons that had surely passed, hung proudly from each column and they were further embellished with intricate glyphs detailing heroic deeds and accomplishments upon them.

Turning upwards, I concentrated our shared vision hard upon the distant ceiling. I could see those circuit-lines, glowing ever so faintly, as they continued their supposedly mundane purpose far out of reach; nonetheless, they were now quite clearly out of range and so Lilith remained unaffected. Thankfully.

Turn here.

I complied and we entered another tunnel. No, not a tunnel. A _hallway_. We were in a civilized area now, and one built to accommodate our impressive size at that. The way was well-lit and possessed a single, luminescent line running the length of one side. As we traversed the otherwise empty hall I was sure to steer us clear of that deceptive hazard, sticking to the barren wall. We encountered no 'incidents' this time.

We reached a door. It was circular, and I could see no clear way to open it.

Tell me I get to rip this thing apart. I flexed our claws and stimulants flushed through our system.

No. Not today. The door still works.

How do we open it? My heart sank as Lilith squashed any hope of entertainment for me within the next five minutes. Or at least, so I believed.

By showing humility.

I felt a sudden compulsion to kneel before the door, head hung low and bowed in difference to whatever entity controlled it. I resisted, at first, but only for a moment before I relented. I trusted her, for this much at least. And then I felt _it_.

Something was crawling across my mind, poking and prodding, seeking answers to questions that I had never been asked before. Questions which I still never fully understood. It grated against my instincts to feel like this. This felt like a violation. I felt _vulnerable_. But, then it passed like a cloud that had concealed the sun for a moment. And as it left, it did so with the answers which it had sought so thoroughly. Answers that I still did not fully understand.

The door clanged loudly as ancient machinery worked for the first time in possibly millennia. Perhaps even longer. Despite this initial cacophony, the door opened soundlessly and quickly, withdrawing elegantly into the sides of the walls. The area beyond was dark and unknown, not even our enhanced vision could pierce the veil that existed within. Even after switching into the other visual spectrums we had access to, I still saw nothing.

What awaits us on the other side, Lilith?

Someone like us, Samael. One of those left behind to fend for themselves. An ally.

Who?

The _bioweaver_.

* * *

Delphinium limped away from the plantation, Genista's crippled form hauled as securely as possible within one arm whilst her other hand clutched the remnant of the magma-blade, now little more than a short sword.

Argentea followed close behind her leader, the paralyzed Chlorophytum quite literally hanging off of the Franxx in a semi-headlock. It was the only way to carry such a load without arms to call her own. How her parasites had actually managed to pull _that_ off, Ichigo could only begin to wonder.

It had been rough to evacuate Plantation 26, to leave with their heads hung low in failure. But they had left alive, and that had to count for something, as so many others could not say the same. Like the remaining members of Squad 26, who now lay at rest within their home, broken and battered to death by an abomination. And of course, Nine Bravo and Nine Gamma, who gave their lives in a desperate attempt to subdue the beast. A noble end for noble warriors. Their sacrifice weighed heavily upon the survivors of Squad 13, and she promised to the dead that she would never forget them.

Ichigo had survived though, as had her squad. She took little comfort in that fact as she assessed the situation her squad now found themselves in. As Squad 13 had battled within Plantation 26, the wider war had raged outside. And events had not gone in humanity's favor, not by any means.

APE's forces were in complete disarray as the Klaxosaur menace ran amok. No official retreat was currently in effect, but this was only because there was no cohesion within the ranks. Instead, humanity was in a full rout as individual Franxx units ran, fleeing for their lives. Scattered about here and there upon the battlefield, some brave souls did remain in futile attempts to stem the never-ending tide of monsters, but these isolated pockets of resistance were beacons to the Klaxosaurs and were quickly overwhelmed by the screeching tide. This was no longer a battle. It was a slaughter.

Ichigo watched as a squad of Franxxs, reduced to only two warriors, barely manage to reach the protective envelope of fire provided by a slowly withdrawing plantation. The Klaxosaurs, mere Conrads, that had been in pursuit were shredded by the plantation's covering fire.

Conrad-classes were no match against such firepower, but it wouldn't be _just_ Conrads assaulting for long. Soon, the larger breeds would arrive and even the mighty fortress cities would find themselves in peril then. She could already see the hulking forms of no less than three such creatures in the distance, the Gutenbergs' distorted silhouettes casting a pall of dread upon the battlefield as they advanced steadily. That was trouble, but it could wait. Hopefully.

The plantations themselves would have to pull back if they intended to survive, as some were already in the process of doing so. And that meant any parasites left behind would have to fend for themselves. She was under no illusions as to their chances of survival should they find themselves in such a situation. There was little time to plan. And certainly, no time to waste in futilely trying to raise Plantation 26's command and control center. Long-range comms were still a mess, and considering the mass of disorganization that was the Parasite Corps, it was more than likely that command wasn't responding anyways. Action mattered now, that is, if they had any hope of seeing tomorrow. They needed to reach the nearest active plantation and they needed to do it soon.

Ichigo closed her eyes and calmed her nerves with a deep breath, inhaling through her nose. Her mind inevitably wandered to Hiro and his well-being, but she banished such concerns from her mind as she exhaled through her mouth. She needed focus now if she wanted her squad to survive. She had to trust in their new found allies that they would find Hiro and return him safely. When she opened her eyes she was ready.

She turned her attention upon the nearest group of Franxxs and their call signs flashed into being upon her vision: Codes 189 and 947 followed by Codes 636 and 799. They were currently engaged with a minor breed of Klaxosaur, one of the Moho-class tower-forms. They were doing well too, but even should they prove victorious there was no real advantage to winning the dual. A single Moho-classed Klaxosaur kill wouldn't make a difference in this war. She hailed them across a private net.

"Codes 189, 947, 636, and 799 this is Code 015, squad leader of Plantation Defense Squad 13 and acting commander of the Sixth United Company, disengage from that Moho-class and form up on me. We have injured personnel and we require immediate assistance in their evacuation." She spoke with a calm, authoritative voice earned from months of being Squad 13's leader; although any of her friends would be able to instantly recognize the exhaustion she carefully disguised.

At first, the parasites seemed to ignore Ichigo, preferring to instead carry on with their little battle. They worked well together in that regard, as one managed to land a flurry of quick thrusts that saw the Klaxosaur reeling backwards in a pained screech. The creature was skillfully silenced by a decisive blow from above, delivered by the other Franxx as they exploited the opening. This machine turned in Squad 13's direction. "Roger that, Code 015." It sounded like something was off in their voice, like they were annoyed they had been interrupted, but with no more Klaxosaurs in the immediate vicinity, they had little else to do. So, they complied with her request.

She nodded in satisfaction as the pair glided over to where Squad 13 was waiting. The lead Franxx nodded their head briefly, but made no overt show of subservience. "Orders?" The question was asked brusquely and more out of curiosity rather than any intent to follow anything Ichigo said.

Ichigo was caught off guard, but only for a moment. She hadn't fully expected anyone to listen, let alone follow her orders; though she wondered if they would truly follow her command. It was entirely possible that they would simply abandon her squad once she formally requested their aid. She may have been a squad leader, but her Company Commander designation was only achieved by being the last squad leader alive within the company. She was simply a fill-in, and her authority was flimsy at best and nonexistent at worst. She couldn't just expect everyone to follow her lead. She would have to play this carefully, less her squad be abandoned to its fate.

"What plantation are you from?" She inquired of the lead Franxx. Of course, her display showed such information, but it was more important to _hear_ it from them. This was about building trust after all.

"Plantation 49," replied the pistil of the Franxx she had addressed. Clearly, the war-machine held the more experienced parasite pair of the squad within it and had been automatically designated as the mouthpiece for both teams. Delphinium nodded her head as Ichigo accepted this information.

"Very good. Are you all that's left of your squad?" Ichigo sincerely hoped that they had been merely cut-off from their squad. This world was a remorseless one though.

The pistil's voice softened, almost imperceptibly. Ichigo barely managed to catch it."Yes. We are all that's left now. We took a heavy hit in the beginning when we were ambushed by a group of Moho-classed Klaxosaurs. Our squad leader was killed in action followed swiftly by our second in command. Our third casualty was merely incapacitated, but they were evacuated safely to Plantation 57." The pistil delivered the report without her voice breaking any further, but Ichigo could feel the emotion being restrained within. To lose half of your family in one day...

"My condolences for your fallen, but it's good that at least one team was safely evacuated. I'm sure they'll make it." She needed to raise their spirits. Focus their motivations. She would need their strength very soon. She wished for them to make the conscious decision to help her as well, instead of making them feel obligated to do so.

The Franxx shook their head from side to side as they grimaced. "That's unlikely. Plantation 57 was swarmed by Klaxos about fifteen minutes ago. Command designated it as lost almost six minutes later... I don't think it was evacuated in time either. We haven't had any contact with command since. Our hails repeatedly go unanswered. We believe that we have been left to die..." The Franxx hung their head at this last declaration. Had it been of flesh and blood Ichigo was sure it would be on the verge of tears already, as its pistil surely was at this very moment.

A heroic leader would seize the moment now, standing tall and declaring that vengeance would be their's. That they would stand, shoulder to shoulder, against the screeching hordes and drive them back to whatever level of hell they had crawled out from. And all that they did was noble and just, and that their comrade's sacrifices were _not_ in vain. The leader would assure them that they were _not_ alone. That they stood as one people- as one _species_ this day. But Ichigo was no such leader. She was no vaunted warrior with an honor roll as long as her arm. And she could give no triumphant, rallying speech of assured victory that stirred the hearts of warriors to unbelievable acts of bravery. She was just a little girl, playing at war in a cruel, hopeless world. She had realized that today, as comrade after comrade had fallen before her, their bodies shattered and lifeless. And she had been utterly powerless to do anything to stop it all. No matter how hard she tried, no matter how skilled she was, death could never be denied. So, she simply did what was within her power. She followed her heart.

Delphinium reached out to place a reassuring hand upon the Franxx's shoulder. The gesture was made a bit awkward because of the blade still held within it, but it was still a kind gesture made from parasite to parasite, human to human. The significance of the display was not lost upon any parasite present, despite the cold, metallic skin separating them. "I'm sorry for your loss. I truly am. But you are alone no longer." She meant every word too. She remained silent a moment longer, the sounds of the not-too-distant battle drifting in from the background before she finally continued.

"I'm sorry, as well, for asking this of you all, but I need your help. My _squad_ needs your help." Delphinium's hand swept behind her, gesturing with her broken-blade to the barely standing remnants of Squad 13. "Because we won't make it out of here as we are now. In fact, none of us will make it, fighting alone as we are now. If _any_ of us wish to make it out alive today then we are going to have to take a stand." Ichigo raised her Franxx's hand, offering it to the other Franxx. "But, we can only make this stand together."

The Franxx looked at Delphinium's outstretched hand, or at least appeared to. Ichigo found it difficult to read a face with no eyes, hidden behind the visor as they were. She was sure that all four parasites of the squad were conferring with each other over a closed channel, weighing the pros and cons of joining Squad 13. After a moment she received their response.

"Very well, Code 015. Squad 49 shall stand with Squad 13 on this day." The Franxx reached out and took Delphinium's arm by the wrist and shook it. The abnormal shake was necessary due to Delphinium's firm grip upon their shattered blade, but the gesture held no less meaning for it.

Ichigo smiled at this agreement. She had secured the assistance of two Franxxs, but that wasn't nearly enough to make it out alive. Still, it was a beginning. And that was all she needed. Within the cockpit, she heard Goro compliment her.

"Good job, Ichigo." She couldn't help a sad smile from touching her lips. This was merely the beginning. The trials to come would undoubtedly be far more dangerous.

"Codes 189 and 947," she addressed the Franxx that had spoken to them, "I need your assistance in hauling Genista. Delphinium has a limited range of movement due to excessive damage and only our thrusters respond correctly. Genista is also quite heavy and the parasites' conditions are unknown, so I'd prefer if we didn't shake them _too_ much. And Codes 636 and 799, I need you to assist Argentea in hauling Chlorophytum. When we finally move I'm going to need everyone on the alert. We're vulnerable carrying the injured like this, but there is no other way to extract them safely. Keeping all that in mind, if a Klaxosaur so much as _looks_ at us I want to know about it. If we have to fight we do so together. No one is getting left behind. No one is fighting alone from here on out. We survive _together_ today. Got it?"

"Got it." Replied Zorome with his normal enthusiasm, completely undiminished despite the day's heavy toll.

"Copy that, but don't expect us to do anything more than observe." Said Ikuno casually, as if they were simply taking a walk through Mistletein. At this point, they were literally less useful than a training unit anyways and nothing was truly expected of them.

"Understood, Code 015." Said Code 189, pistil of the lead Franxx of Squad 49. The other Franxx of Squad 49 didn't deign to respond, instead, they simply moved to assist Argentea, but Miku shook their head.

"We got them, don't worry. Just cover us real close. We can't do much other than evade, because _someone_ lost our arms." She said.

"Hey! I saved our lives!" Zorome retorted defensively.

"You _abandoned_ our weapons!"

"You wouldn't even be able to complain if it weren't for my quick thinking, dummy! In fact, you should be _thanking_ me!"

"Thank you? _Thank you?!_ Why you little...!"

The pair continued in this way for some time, as they always did when they got worked up. The standard Franxx that had moved to help them wisely chose to not intervene and simply formed up on Argentea's flank, ready to greet any Klaxosaurs. It would probably be an easier job than intervening in the vicious verbal battle that was now flooding across the squad-net.

Within Delphinium, Goro busied himself by updating the roster. Codes 189 and 947 were added to his display under the shared designation of 49A while their comrades- Codes 636 and 799- were designated as 49B. He added both units to the squad channel, the 'debate' between Zorome and Miku welcoming them unofficially into Squad 13.

When all was in readiness, and the parasites of Argentea had finally ceased their argument, Goro sent a ready signal to Ichigo.

Ichigo opened up a wide-band comm channel, open to any Franxx in their sector. She knew what had to be done before they set off. She took another deep breath, calming her nerves. She had never done anything upon this scale before. It was insanely ambitious, and could possibly be seen as cowardly by high command. She resolved that dealing with any consequences was better than dying on this field, alone and forgotten. She mustered what authority she had and spoke without further hesitation.

"This is Code 015, pistil of Delphinium and Sixth United Company Commander, to all remaining APE forces in the area. Rally to my position, if you cannot reach us then send your coordinates. We will find you. You are not alone. Command may be unresponsive, but the Parasite Corps is not yet finished, and we will not die here. We will _all_ see this day end with our own eyes, I promise you that. We will _all_ make it out of this alive, but _only_ if we stand together. We are breaking out of here together, my comrades, or not at all, over." It was a simple message, but it was conveyed with all the authority she could muster. If one squad had joined her cause willingly, then many more could just as easily follow. For a moment nothing happened. The silence across the net was palpable and unnerving in its implication. And then, hope flared briefly as the comm crackled to life.

"This is Squad 104 of Plan-... loud and clear. On our way, comm-... over."

"Solid copy, Code 01-...-uad 73 en route to your pos, over."

"This is...-heavy resistance in sector three bravo. Not gonna make it... -ur own. Request assistance, ove-"

Goro's eyes widened as his display lit up with more and more identifier codes. First, it was merely a handful, then a dozen followed after only a moment, and soon after a veritable flood of squad identifiers were pinging loudly across his screen. Each one was a squad caught in an engagement or otherwise displaced, each requesting aid from Squad 13. And following immediately after their identification codes, were their coordinates upon the battlefield. The Parasite Corps wasn't merely responding to her call; it was crying out for salvation.

"Ichigo,... I have the location of many squads in the area."

"How many?" She asked quickly. She couldn't keep the eagerness from her voice.

Goro didn't answer immediately. The returns weren't finished arriving just yet. When they finally did so, he answered in a whisper. "...All of them, Ichigo. All of them..."

"Send them to me."

"Which ones first? Closest? Or the squads with the most survivors?" Some coordinates were deep into enemy territory, surrounded like rocks in a river. They would obviously be overrun soon and were therefore a lost cause.

"All of them, Goro. All of them. No one is getting left behind, remember?"

Goro couldn't help but smile at that. She was truly too kind for this harsh world they lived in. Some would possibly label her as innocent, or even naive, but they would be wrong in such an assumption. Goro knew her better, perhaps even better than she knew herself. And he knew what she really was. What she was really like. This, _this_ determination that was completely out of proportion to her size, was one of her most redeeming qualities. It was... inspiring, enrapturing, and endearing all in one. She had never given up on a fight, and she had never let any of her friends fight alone. He counted himself as the luckiest man in the world, for he was her partner. He sent the requested information, eager to fight alongside her once more.

"So, Company Commander," he joked, but his tone was anything but mocking, "which squad is first?"

Ichigo skimmed through the sudden influx of data. She didn't look at the squad sizes, because she didn't care. It would have made sense to begin with the largest groups. The more they had, the easier the fight would become. Not only was that the most logical way of thinking, but it was also the most strategic approach. In fact, if one could rally the survivors, there was a good chance that humanity could turn the tide and drive off the enemies, possibly even securing a pyriffic victory. To do anything else would be considered a mistake at best, and insanity at worst. But, Ichigo couldn't care less about winning anymore. She just wanted the dying to stop.

"We go to the nearest group. And then the next. And the next after them. That's it. No fancy maneuvers, no heroic sacrifices, and no fighting on your own. Let's move out!"

"Right!"

The odd group of Franxxs moved out, heading straight towards the next concentration of embattled Franxxs. It was slow going, as the deactivated Genista was slumped over upon the shoulders of Delphinium and 49A, whilst Argentea stoically bore the full weight of Chlorophytum alone. The only Franxx free to move about was 49B, who kept a watchful eye on any advancing Klaxosaurs. As the group approached the next group of Franxxs, Ichigo saw with relief that they were barely engaged at all. It quickly turned to despair as she realized just how mangled the squad was though, despite being the furthest from the largest concentration of Klaxosaurs.

Only one unit still stood. And it was currently engaged in a desperate stand-off against no less than three Conrad-classed Klaxosaurs. Normally the parasites would have won already, for humanity had chosen agile hunters as its representatives upon the battlefield, but the Franxx in question wasn't trying to outmaneuver them at all. It was standing immobile, legs braced wide as it sheltered another heavily-damaged Franxx beneath it. The wounded machine moved weakly, the parasites within not yet finished, and they were able to raise their spear in a defensive guard.

The Klaxosaurs had the advantage in numbers, as they always did, and they exercised such an advantage. Two Klaxosaurs attacked in a pincer movement, forcing the guardian Franxx to make a split second decision. They easily could have retreated, leaving their comrade to their fate. Such a decision would surely ensure their survival as the Klaxosaurs would be all too content to simply ravage their former squadmate. This was the cold, emotionless logic a soldier often faced upon the battlefield. The guardian chose to stand their ground, however. And so, their death was all but assured. They did not hesitate to meet the attack from their left, their spear thrusting with exacting precision into the Klaxosaur's body whilst their backside was left wide open to the other monster's grasping jaws. There would be no way to correct such an error in time.

49B speared the approaching Conrad from above as their Franxx's heavy frame crunched into the beast, flattening its body into the ground. The monster burst like an overripe fruit as its core was pierced. Its killer raised themselves from a low crouch and faced the last remaining Klaxosaur.

The third Klaxosaur should have run after seeing two of its kin killed so quickly. But, a beast could never be relied upon to act as a human would in the same situation. Instead, it lunged at 49B, desperate to avenge its kin, as if a monster could ever truly appreciate such noble things as camaraderie.

The creature pulled up short, slamming face first into the ground as a spearhead punctured into its black flesh from the rear, fired from the wounded Franxx upon the ground. It scrambled in an attempt to rise, but the Franxx activated the auto-retract within the spear and the monster was dragged backward, howling its fury at this latest impediment. 49B stepped in quickly, their spear thrusting mercilessly into the core in a perfect kill stroke, silencing the animal's wounded cries. 49B was rewarded with such a strike by being drenched in even more of the inhuman gore.

The Franxx that still stood over its comrade looked to their savior. "Our thanks. We would have been finished if not for you."

49B, their Franxx now positively drenched in Klaxo-blood, shrugged their shoulders as they skillfully redirected the praise to another. "We're just doing our job. If you want to thank someone, thank Delphinium." As if to emphasize their humility, the Franxx even gestured with their free-hand towards the indigo-colored Franxx that was now just pulling up. Delphinium slowed their glide to a stuttering stop, Genista's unwieldy weight upon their shoulders unintentionally aiding to do so.

The guardian Franxx turned to meet Delphinium. They inclined their head in greeting. "Thank you, Code 015. We are in your debt. We heard you over the comm, but none of us were holding out any hope you would truly arrive in time. But, you did... so, I guess you're not all talk. I am Code 723, pistil to 87A, and it would be an honor to stand by you this day. How can we be of assistance?"

"You fought well Codes 723 and...," her tactical display finally decided to identify the stamen, "992. But, I sincerely hope your fighting today is over for now because I have a special task in mind for you two. I need you to guard the wounded as we round up the survivors. As you can see, my squad is at an impasse currently: we cannot leave our incapacitated squadmates upon the field unprotected, but neither can we haul them around into fights. To do so, would be... troublesome."

87A nodded their understanding. "We understand completely, Code 015 You can leave your wounded with us. We won't let those beasts lay a single claw on any of them! You have my word as the squad leader of Squad 87. This area is pretty clear of Klaxosaurs anyways, so I doubt any problem will spring up. Just... be quick, please? I don't like the look of those ones on the horizon." It was true that the Gutenbergs were getting larger by the minute as they advanced steadily, but it would still be some time before those lumbering giants truly became a cause for worry.

"Thank you, both of you. I know that you will do your best to protect my squadmates as if they were you're own. We're counting on you guys." Delphinium dipped alongside 49A and laid Genista gently upon the ground. They staggered to their feet and 49A, now free of Genista's form as well, moved to assist, but Delphinium waved them off, preferring to stand on their own instead.

87A shouted in alarm as they recognized the damaged state of Delphinium. "Code 015?! You're Franxx is severely damaged! Are you sure advancing into enemy territory in that state is wise?"

"Tactically speaking? Negative. It's very unadvised. But, look around," Delphinium gestured to the only Franxxs in the immediate area. Only three were truly combat-capable at the moment. And all three were the standardized, mass-produced variant of Franxx. "We haven't much choice on who will fight, and who won't. As long as my Franxx can wield a blade I'm ready to fight."

"B-but, you're leg is nearly useless! You can't even walk on your own. How will you fight?"

"Delphinium cannot walk, this is true. But, our engines and maneuvering thrusters still work, which means Conrad-classed Klaxos are still no match for us. Don't worry, we will do fine."

87A was still not content with Ichigo's decision to throw her and her partner once more unto the battlefield and promptly raised more objections, all perfectly valid as well. "Wouldn't it make more sense for _you_ to guard the wounded and let us rally the survivors?"

"Yes. That is very sound reasoning. But, I sent out the message, so I'm responsible for rounding up everyone I can. I can't expect everyone to simply comply with my orders if I'm not willing to put myself or my partner in danger. No, I'm afraid this is the only way."

"But, surely there is anoth-"

"Enough." Goro finally chimed in, defending Ichigo's decision despite its inherent lack of reasoning. "This is how it is, so please stop arguing a moot point. I know what you're saying, and I appreciate the concern. But, if we delay any longer more parasites will die and you don't want that, do you? So, please, just stay here and defend our wounded as you promised. And I promise you we will return just as we are now, but with more parasites standing with us. And we'll be counting on you to hold this area as our fallback point. Without you, this operation will surely fail."

87A looked like they would argue the point even further, exacerbating the problem beyond reason, but they didn't. Instead, they paid respect to their new 'Company Commander' by slamming a clenched fist against their chassis. A crude salute, exchanged between warriors upon the battlefield out of mutual respect for one another since time immemorial. "Good luck. All of you."

Ichigo smiled to herself despite the situation and returned the gesture as best as Delphinium's damaged form would allow. She almost spurred their mount away and unto the battlefield once more, but held off for a moment to deliver a last minute order to her only remaining squadmate that still stood on their own power. "Argentea, stay here and guard the wounded with 87A."

Argentea's eyes widened at this order. "W-what?! You can't be serious? Leaving _us_ behind! That's... that's unfair! If you're going to fight then you can bet we'll be right by your side!" Miku instantly put up a fierce protest, as Ichigo had predicted she would. She had an argument prepared to defend her decision; although she truly doubted its effectiveness upon the fiery redhead. Luckily, an ally came to her aid from a completely unexpected quarter.

"She's right, Miku. We can't help as we are now. Our best option right now is to simply stay behind and guard the injured."

"Z-Zorome?! You're _agreeing_ to stay behind?" Miku asked, startled by her partner's deviation from his normal behavior.

"This is indeed perplexing. Usually, Zorome would jump at a foolish chance to endanger himself." Ikuno said with a hint of condescension; although something even rarer was hidden within her words. It was the tiniest morsel of respect for Zorome; though to call it a 'morsel' may have been too generous.

"Hey! I've got a brain you know! Even I can see how useless we would be on the front line."

"We're only useless because _you_ abandoned our arms!" Miku let the accusation fly once more and a verbal battle that eclipsed the Klaxosaur/human war in its brutality was soon in full swing between Argentea's parasites.

"Oh joy. They're at it _again_." Futoshi sighed as Squad 13, excluding Argentea, spoke across a separate channel.

"Indeed. Ichigo, just go with the others while they're distracted. I'll ensure Argentea stands their post. Good luck." Ikuno assured Ichigo.

"Thanks, Ikuno. You're the best." Delphinium flashed a smile and turned with the remaining members of Squad 49 flanking either side. They hurriedly went off in search of more survivors.

Ikuno smiled at Ichigo's departing words. She frowned though as Delphinium became smaller and smaller upon the last active screen within her cockpit. She wished more than anything that she was standing beside Ichigo now, but her role was otherwise, as it often was. "Be safe, Ichigo." She whispered to herself, so quietly that not even her partner could hear her.

* * *

The warrior strode through the ranks of monsters, slaying scores of them with contemptuous ease. His spear, radiant despite the thick coating of inhuman gore that bathed it, struck out once more and three more lives ended. The warrior gave no quarter for his enemies, and he certainly felt no pity for them. They were beneath his notice, and certainly not worth the time he was wasting upon them. They were lesser creatures, their blood unfit to even sully his blade with. But, even he was forced to admit that their numbers were beginning to become a problem.

Nine Alpha was beginning to feel _frustrated._ This was no battle. It couldn't even be accurately called a slaughter. It was a _culling_. He felt such work was beneath him, beneath his entire squad even, but until the larger Klaxosaurs decided to show themselves he was forced to sate his appetite for destruction upon these woefully inadequate morsels. At least their numbers were endless, but their rate of advancement was such that his kills were practically _trickling_ in. That was... less than ideal. They were Papa's best damnit! They deserved better foes.

"Omega," he addressed his remaining squad mate, "do you see any opponent truly worth our time?"

"Negative, Alpha. Just a sea of worthless dredges, wheezing their way across this equally worthless field. What a waste. Although, I _did_ see a Gutenberg smash into Plantation 26 several minutes ago."

"Really? Hmph. I'm almost envious of Bravo and Gamma in that case. I thought they would have the boring job, but it seems I made a severe miscalculation. Oh well, I'm sure we will hear all about it later. Oh, by the way, what happened to the grunts supporting us?" A cruel way to refer to one's own allies, especially when said allies had died giving their best, but Nine Alpha's firmly believed that death was a warrior's only guarantee in life. It was their very reason for existence after all. To give their lives for Papa was the highest honor Nine Alpha could imagine. The fallen today should be considered the lucky ones.

"The Parasite Corps fell back en masse some time ago. I guess moral wasn't as strong amongst them as it is among us. It's sad, really, that we are related to such creatures."

"Indeed. They can be such self-centered cowards at times. But, they are Papa's children, even if he ascended far above them all long ago, so do take care to treat them with a modicum of respect. At least when we are face to face with one."

"Understood, Alpha. I'll _try_ to keep that in mind."

Alpha knew Omega wouldn't. But, as squad leader, he was responsible for their actions as well as their discipline. He had to at least try to reign them in occasionally, even if it was a half-hearted attempt. Personally, he couldn't care less about the treatment of humans. They were cheap meat anyways; although they did have their uses at times. Like right now. He would love to a have even a single defense squad by his side, if only to be used as fodder so that his squad could advance unimpeded. But, this was not the case.

"Omega, I've reached a decision. We're falling back."

"W-wait, _what?!_ Alpha, _why?"_

"This is no longer a fight we can win. The best we can do is force a stalemate, and those are oh-so-dull affairs. That, and there is no longer any strategic value in staying here. With the Parasite Corps routed we have no way to hold the ground we take. So, we are essentially just wasting time here, and you know I hate nothing more than wasting my time."

Omega sighed as he slaughtered the dredges before him. The gap in the enemy's ranks was filled immediately by creatures of the same, fodder-level caliber. He was forced to concede the point. "Alright. I see your point. I'm getting tired of the repetitiveness of this anyways. So, shall we go collect Bravo and Gamma?"

"That's exactly what we will do. And, we may even get the chance to fight that Gutenberg. That will put me back into a good mood, at least for a bit."

And so, the two 9 Models advanced to Plantation 26, soaring over the screeching tide upon wings of flame.

If only they knew the grim realization that awaited them, they may have been more hesitant.

* * *

The beast crawled through the darkness, its enhanced senses immeasurably more effective in the darkness than a human's could ever be. It needed no light, for it fully embraced the darkness beneath the world.

The creature's body was slim, elongated past the point of natural development and it had four sets of mismatched legs. These were asymmetrically attached, and one flank contained five legs whilst the other only claimed three. Even with this abnormal construction, the creature managed to advance with little impediment. In fact, it denied all logic as it moved far faster than any wretched mutant should ever be able to.

The most distinguishing feature it possessed, however, was not it's mismatched legs nor the impressively oversized- and incredibly lethal- scythes that twitched on either side of its angular head. No, its most impressive feature was its eyes; formed like a predatory mammal's would be. The black pupils, so wide they occluded the iris completely, processed all visual information at a rate that only alpha predators could achieve.

And it was indeed an alpha predator.

It could sense its next victim up ahead, advancing through the tunnel as if they were the masters. But they weren't. They were humans, and they had arrogantly overstepped their bounds. This was the dark depths of the world known as Earth, and it belonged to the Klaxosaurs completely.

The predator neared the prey. Its legs accelerated its mass with ease and it shot down the tunnel like a bullet. It raised razor-sharp pincers, ready to punish the human's trespasses.

It leaped at the interlopers, the momentum it had obtained would be impossible to stop. The metal golem before them would be-

* * *

Andromeda braced herself as the Klaxosaur, a mere Moho-class of less than impressive size, threw itself at her. She wielded her blade with both hands, bringing it swiftly down in a devastating overhead slice that saw the creature cleanly bisected. The two separate halves kept their momentum and flew past Andromeda, splattering onto the floor with a wet thump.

"What a foolish enemy," S428 muttered within the cockpit.

"Indeed." Her partner- S337- agreed with her. "But, what can one expect from such simple-minded beasts? They can only come at us one or two at a time. I admit though, they are slowing us down. I wonder how many we have slain so far?"

"Forty-seven confirmed kills." She replied without looking at any sort of tactical feed. With little better to do, she had begun to count their kills in order to stab off the tedium of the mission.

"A good tally. Wouldn't you say, Hiro?" He turned to the third occupant within their cockpit.

Hiro, otherwise known as Code 016, stood close to the stamen's throne; though this was more for a practical reason. If Andromeda performed any significant maneuvering, he had to act quickly and secure himself to the sturdiest object he had available, lest he become a ragdoll. Which meant the throne was now essentially a lifeline for him.

"Yeah, you're doing well." He tried to make himself care and say it with more enthusiasm, but he couldn't bring himself to care for something so trivial as counting kills. Not when his Zero Tsu was still in danger.

He truly hated this. They had been walking for only minutes now, but every second stretched into an eternity. The constant onslaught of Klaxosaurs slowing them down didn't help his mood either. Fortunately, they proved no match for Andromeda and were swiftly dispatched in moments. Still, this ordeal was testing his patience. He realized he required a distraction- anything- to take his mind off the gnawing sensation that was slowly eating away at his rationality.

"So, S337. We haven't spoken much and I would like it if you answered some questions." He decided learning more about the unknown would distract him, as it so often had during the days he had spent in the Garden.

"Hmm? Of course, Hiro. It would be my pleasure. Ask away, and I shall answer; though do keep in kind some things may be classified and will prevent me from answering." The boy was exceedingly polite and honest, completely contrasting every other parasite he had met over the years. His partner, the pistil known as S428, was the polar opposite. Since the moment he had first met her, neither he nor she had interacted directly with each other. He hadn't even seen her face yet. He had no reason to believe that this would change any time soon.

"That's only fair." In all honesty, he didn't know really where to begin. He had so many questions. He decided he should start with what he knew and go from there. "You know my name. How?"

"Oh, right. I guess it would seem awkward from your point of view, but I ensure you there is solid reasoning behind it."

"And what is that reasoning?"

"Well, you're practically a legend to us!" He exclaimed. "You have to understand it from our perspective. We lived our entire lives aboard Cosmos and we had very little interaction with anyone not an adult or one of our kind. We trained up there for years, isolated from the rest of humanity, only knowing that our species existed upon the mother-world because we were told so. The first footage we were ever shown of other children was a recording of one of Squad 13's early engagements. Honestly, we became enthralled with you and your comrades."

Hiro felt his cheeks flush with blood and he turned away. He felt a little embarrassed that someone had been watching him. "Why were you watching us?"

"Ultimately it was for academic purposes. Also, I asked the very same question and the Sage answered with-," his voice became artificially deep as he mimicked another's, "- 'monkey see, monkey do, cadet,' and that was that."

"What's a monkey?"

"From my understanding, it's an ancient ancestor of humans that swung from tree branches and threw feces as a form of defense."

"That's... absolutely ridiculous."

"I know right?! Thank Papa they are extinct. Could you imagine having to dodge feces on a daily basis? Apparently, they were _very_ territorial too."

"Alright, we're getting off topic here. So, you saw us battle, but how did you know my name?"

"Ah, well, as I said, we became enthralled with you." It was S337's turn to look away, embarrassed as only a child could be. "I think I was the most guilty of that. I mean, you guys were amazing! They told us all about you too, like how high you all scored in the trials and how each one of you was a prodigy in your own right. And I thought it was really interesting that you guys had names for each other, completely unlike the other teams we studied! You guys were just so interesting to me."

"How much do you know about us?"

"Honestly? Very little. I know all of your unofficial names, your test scores, kill-counts and even the records of your past sorties. But, I know very little about your personal interactions with each other. Such things were beyond my clearance level."

"Clearance level? You needed clearance to know about us?"

"Yes, and unfortunately, my level wasn't even high enough to see more than just the administrative things. The majority of it, like your psychology assessments, were heavily censored."

"Why would our personal lives be censored? "

"I have no idea, Hiro. Your personal dossier is full of black though. Entire sections are completely censored if they aren't even there at all! That goes for the same for every member of your squad."

Hiro was... confused. What reason was there for censoring his personal life, or any of their's for that matter? They were under constant surveillance, this was known to him, but they had never been told what they were doing was wrong or against regulations. So, why would his life be censored?

He shelved his thoughts. He would find such answers later, but it would not be from this boy. But, he would find them.

"So, tell me a little more about the S.T.A.R.R.S."

And so, as Andromeda stalked through an unlit tunnel, her way clear before her with the help of a night vision overlay, the two boys spoke freely to each other. Parasite to parasite. Stamen to stamen. Human to what was once human.

They spoke of many things. They spoke of S337's squad in depth, to include the specialization each Franxx brought to the team. Hiro paid particularly close attention to each description of the units. He marveled at how unique each one sounded as they were described to him. He wouldn't have believed a Franxx could possess such specialization if he hadn't already seen two of them, both drastically different from each other. They spoke as well of the parasites that piloted each machine, their personalities vastly different from their comrades, and yet they were ultimately united as a squad.

It sounded like an all too familiar scenario to Hiro.

And thus, did the conversation return to Squad 13. Not of their accomplishments or battles, for S337 was quite knowledgeable of such affairs, but rather of their daily lives and interactions with one another, the supposedly 'classified' sections of his life. Hiro noticed that he enjoyed hearing about this material far more than any recountings of Squad 13's past combat actions. It was almost like the boy was living vicariously through Hiro's tales. He became particularly enthralled by the tale of the 'Great War of the Genders' Squad 13 had initiated, and concluded, some time ago.

Hiro, in exchange for sharing his life and friends and other censored material, asked about everything that he could as he realized such a font of free knowledge might never again be open to him. He listened to S337 as he told him about the irradiated wasteland that was the southern hemisphere and how it was the domain of the Klaxosaurs, for only they could survive such hazards. And of how humanity was constricted to the northern hemisphere and was constantly under assault from Klaxosaur invasions that poured forth from the south. He learned the truth that concerned the Gran Crevasse, and how it was merely the last bastion of the Klaxosaurs' that they could still lay claim to within the northern hemisphere. Taking it would be a turning point in the century-long war, as humanity would finally be able to lay claim to what was once their's. But, it would merely be half of what they once owned, and humanity wouldn't stop until _all_ of the world was in their hands once more.

This war was far from over.

He also learned of the Klaxosaurs themselves. That they may have been mindless beasts as individuals, but they possessed a hive-mind of sorts that stretched the length and breadth of the globe. They fought a brutal war of attrition with humanity, but ultimately neither side was able to claim victory over the other. The reason for such a stalemate was simple biology. The Klaxosaurs could not survive the winter's bite that graced the northern hemisphere every year. Not for any extended period of time, at least. Only a few sheltered garrisons were able to withstand the winter, such as those that called the Gran Crevasse their home. The humans faced a similar problem in that they couldn't survive the irradiated southern regions, areas in which the monsters thrived. The Franxxs could withstand such hazards, for a meager amount of time, and had pushed into the enemy territory on several, separate occasions. But, they were always turned back, the lack of adequate magma-fuel supplies their one fatal flaw. And thus, a brutal stalemate had been born, which saw both sides feeding troops endlessly into the border skirmishes, gaining ground here only to lose it there.

Blood, both red and blue, ran in endless rivers as the two sides clashed relentlessly across decades worth of time.

Perhaps the most horrific realization of all this was that the vast majority of this information had never been imparted to him or his squad.

"B-But, why?! Why did they not at least tell us all of this? Shouldn't we know why we're fighting here?" His brain was working hard to process all of this information. Each well-intentioned answer that brought enlightenment inevitably managed to branch off into a dozen avenues of ignorance. He was beginning to feel overwhelmed.

S337 shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. They told us all of this years ago. The only reason I can think of is that it didn't concern you. After all, Squad 13 is Dr. Franxx's personal test team. Perhaps he didn't wish you to be rotated to the front and thus had your team waived from such duties. Actually, the doctor's involvement could explain the vast amount of censoring within your records..."

"Wait! What do you mean by that? What duty? Rotated to where?"

"You don't know? Wow, they really do keep you in the dark, but I guess that should have been blatantly obvious. Every parasite squad is required to serve five years on garrison duty as a plantation defense squad. After they collect some experience fighting as a squad, they are then rotated to the front lines down south where they hold the line against larger incursions. I'm assuming that due to your squad's prestigious patron wielding such a high amount of influence within APE, you have all been exempted from fulfilling such a duty. If I recall correctly, Plantation 13's previous squad was rotated for just such a duty. I guess you took their place."

"Wait a minute! The previous defense squad is still alive?!" Hiro asked, bewildered by this new development.

"Probably. But, if they are, I don't think they are a designated defense squad anymore. They were most likely assigned to a line company, or if they were really unlucky, a ranger company."

"But, we found their rooms. They were taped off and all their possessions were still there! Why would they leave all of their stuff if it was just a deployment rotation?

"Hmm. I guess they were deployed in a hurry then. A surge in Klaxosaur activity could have accelerated their deployment. I wouldn't write them off as dead though. After all, if they had died, then the rooms would simply have been cleared out for you. They were probably taped off so that no one disturbed their personal belongings. After all, you wouldn't want someone going through your stuff, would you?"

Hiro felt... conflicted like never before. He was simultaneously relieved that the previous Squad 13 was still alive, but also felt like he had trespassed in their lives. Maybe they shouldn't have jumped to conclusions all those months ago? As he mused upon this, something snagged in his brain.

Zero Tsu was the one to suggest that those parasites had died. She wouldn't have lied about that assessment. Which meant she truly believed it. Which meant that she was just as ignorant as they were in such matters concerning parasite deployment rotations. His brain was making leaps of logic, connecting dots with new information, but many questions yet remained, and he yearned to find the answers

Why? Why would one of Papa's greatest warriors be kept in the dark? Or, was she kept ignorant purely because such things did not truly concern her? She was special, after all. Or, was there a more sinister purpose behind such secrecy? Is even Zero Tsu just a means to an end, easily discarded once she fulfills her purpose?

 _Are we all just disposable tools for Papa?_

A chill crept up his spine at that thought.

"How many other parasites are there?"

"Hmm. I don't know for sure. Possibly thousands."

"What?! That's-," he wanted to say 'impossible' but realized that such a line of thinking was horribly naive, "-hard to imagine. There weren't even that many children at Garden."

"Garden? You have to realize something about that place, Hiro. It's not the _only_ facility responsible for developing children. Garden is just a specialized training institute and research facility. There are several dozen other training facilities that produce parasites and with a far better turn out rate; although the children that come from those ones are considerably less skilled than those of Garden-raised children. Garden is also in a prime location because of its remoteness. It lies very far north of your average Klaxosaur sighting."

"I see. Then, how large is the Parasite Corps?"

"I don't know. I'm not the commandant. But, I know it's composed of three distinct divisions. The 'Shield' division is what you currently fall under. It mainly consists of plantation defense squads, but it has several regiments of more specialized garrison units that are in place around key APE facilities. The second division is known as the 'Sword' division and is entirely concentrated upon the southern border regions of both continents. They are responsible for defending against large scale Klaxosaur invasions as well as spearheading APE's offensive efforts. The third division is the smallest and is known as 'Dagger'. It's every unit not directly under the other two lumped into a division of their own, and they handle every task the other two cannot, or will not, perform."

"How many parasites are in each division?" Hiro wanted numbers. He wanted to know how many children could be called his comrades.

S337 shrugged as he spoke. "As I said before, I don't know the exact number. Possibly upwards of tens of thousands of parasites."

"Tens of _thousands_?!" His eyes widened at that casual estimation of force. He couldn't even imagine that many parasites. And, if there were so many parasites, then why wasn't the siege of the Gran Crevasse warranting the presence of a larger force? There were barely more than half a thousand parasites upon the surface at the moment and half that number in Franxxs. Even had they possessed Strelizia in her true form from the very beginning, they would have been hard-pressed to exterminate the Klaxosaurs.

What was Papa thinking? Or, did he even care that their loss was inevitable?

"Yes. Tens of thousands. I don't think they have as many Franxxs though. I hear they work in two shifts down on the border, so it's four parasites to a Franxx unit. One team takes the day, and the other team takes the night. That way they always have a force on hand to deal with unexpected invaders. I wonder how often they take the machines off the front to do maintenance though..."

Hiro was still trying to grasp the fact that the organization known as APE was far larger than he had ever entertained, even in his wildest dreams. He couldn't help but feel all of this was common knowledge, especially when he considered how S337 casually tossed out the information. "So, S337, how do you know all of this? We were kept in the dark for years. Shouldn't we have been told?"

"Hmm. Well, I-,"

The only female occupant cut in. "If you were kept in the dark, then it was for good reason. After all, you are a test team- an experiment, in a harsher sense. And when one conducts an experiment they establish a control group first and then they introduce variables in order to stimulate change. I theorize you were most likely kept in the dark because you _are_ the control group in question. Your sheltered life was necessary because variables would have to be introduced in a controlled manner at appropriate times. Nothing could be allowed to taint the core sample before such times."

The pistil spoke directly to Hiro for the first time since he had entered. Her voice was abnormally alluring in the way it flowed from word to word, and yet she was utterly calm and formal at the same time, as if she was impossibly distant.

Her words made much more sense when he thought about it for a moment. He was familiar with the scientific method, as it had been taught to them all at an early age. Even when he considered S428's theory, there were still so many questions. "Then... what are the variables?"

"I don't know. I have studied your battles intensely, but your record was heavily censored, thus rendering the personal details of your life obscure. Therefore, I am unable to construct any theories on the nature of the variables. Your question is one that you'll have to answer yourself. I have better things to do with my time." Hiro winced as he heard her response. He was forced to admit that it was a completely valid reason too, but she delivered the response in a colder fashion than any adult would have managed.

Despite this borderline insult, it did make him think deeply about what could possibly be the variable in Squad 13. After sifting through his memories, he realized the answer was rather obvious.

Zero Tsu was the variable.

It made perfect sense. Who had changed him, all those years ago in Garden? Zero Tsu had.

Who had suddenly dropped into his life, saving him from being useless and securing his place as a Franxx pilot? Zero Tsu.

Who had given him his happiest memories in his entire life? Zero Tsu.

There was no other possible variable. No other changes in their lives. No deviations from the norm. Nothing had swayed him from the path of a normal parasite other than her. Sure, they were ignorant of apparently common knowledge, but this was by design and was a condition set by the powers above them. Which led him to another question.

Who was in control of this experiment?

Dr. Franxx was the obvious choice. He was the one that brought Zero Tsu to Plantation 13 all those months ago, after all. He was also, supposedly, the one responsible for Squad 13's special privileges and non-standard Franxx designs. This conclusion led him to another question, yet again.

What was the goal of the experiment?

It had to do with his personal life, especially given the heavy censoring. Hiro was only able to muse upon this question for a few precious moments before S428 spoke up with a warning. Once again, her voice was bereft of any emotion, purely analytical in its tone. "This is an unexpected development."

Andromeda had reached the end of the tunnel; though it wasn't a dead end. A pit, stretching into the bowels of the earth, gaped before them. It wasn't too wide, but they could see no bottom from where they stood. S337 flicked through several different vision modes, but not one pierced the void any better than the emerald night vision that they had used to get this far.

"Hmm. Indeed it is. What do you suggest, S428?"

"Go down it. There is no other option, and we are equipped for such a drop. The Praetorian went this way."

"You could be wrong. There could be a false wall somewhere or a hidden entrance into another tunnel. We have to predict every possibility when dealing with the Praetorian. Let's see what Hiro has to say on the matter." He turned his visor-covered eyes on Hiro.

Hiro replied without hesitation. "She's down there. We need to jump." He didn't try to explain how he knew, for no one would believe him. The tether here was strong; though not enough to bring him to his knees as it had on the surface. But, as they stood idle, the tether began to tighten its grip upon him and he felt drawn into the impossibly deep hole. As if it didn't want him to turn away and leave. He felt it in his soul once more that _she_ was down there. There was no other explanation for this ever increasing weight above him.

"Well then. I guess it's two against one."

Andromeda leaped forwards, pushing off the ledge and into the darkness of the world.

Hiro expected to be thrown like a ragdoll, and he braced himself appropriately by wrapping his arms tightly around the stamen's throne. Eyes closed, with teeth clenched and legs braced, he waited for the inevitable assault of g-forces that would tear at him and send him flying. But, no such force came for him and after a moment of unexpected calm, he opened his eyes.

They were still falling, from what he could see out of Andromeda's cockpit. But, it was like the laws of physics were ignoring them, and they fell as if they were utterly weightless. And yet, they fell with such speed that the walls blurred into an unbroken, emerald sheen.

His eyes widened as he noticed what crawled along those walls. There were dozens- no, _hundreds_ of Klaxosaurs gripping onto the wall. And they all saw the Franxx fall past them. They began to scream.

"Prepare yourself, Hiro! This may get bumpy..."S337 warned his new friend. There was still no sign of the bottom of the pit. But, that didn't stop the Klaxosaurs from launching themselves from the walls at them.

Andromeda twisted and turned, dodging the dense creatures that threw themselves with little regard to personal safety. S428 managed to bring their serrated sword around, slashing through one beast that was too large to avoid in time. It would be the first kill of many.

Andromeda fired her maneuvering thrusters, hurtling towards the wall in order to avoid a mid-air collision with another suicidal Klaxosaur. Another of the creatures was crushed beneath her as she slammed into the wall, slightly softening her crash but denying any handholds. Machine and beast fell as one.

S337 desperately fired the thrusters in order to bring Andromeda back into proper orientation. Another Klaxosaur slammed into them, its claws grasping onto their armor and they tumbled together through the air.

Andromeda brought a crimson-spiked knee up and into the beast's midsection, breaking the hold it had upon them and goring its stomach. A thruster assisted kick sent it careening away and into the wall where it smashed apart against another of its brood.

The serrated blade slashed in an arc, felling at least three more of the falling Klaxosaurs. The return stroke saw the blade embedded into an exposed belly.

Hiro did his best not to void the contents of his stomach as g-forces decided to finally show their hand. Every move Andromeda made pulled him in a new direction. Muscles that he didn't even know he had strained with every turbulent spin. But, thanks to some hidden reserve of strength, he managed to hold himself steady- relatively speaking.

"Brace for impact." S428 delivered the warning, calm and utterly at ease, as if the whole situation was nothing more than a routine training exercise.

Andromeda pushed the blade deeper into the Klaxosaur's torso as she fell, placing the beast between herself and the quickly approaching floor. It worked.

They slammed into the ground with bone-jarring force, the corpse beneath them splattering under the concentrated weight. The serrated blade bit deep into the otherwise immaculate floor.

A heavy weight landed behind Andromeda and she turned, her blade held above her head in a two-handed chop that saw the assailant bisected cleanly. She stepped forward, taking the Klaxosaur's spot as her own and swept the blade above her head to bat away another falling monster. But, there were so many more.

Klaxosaurs fell in their multitudes, their heavy bodies breaking upon impact. But, only a handful of the hundreds-strong force stayed down. Most simply shrugged off their wounds or ignored their broken limbs, switching their weight to one of the other limbs they possessed.

Andromeda was quickly surrounded on all sides and heavily outnumbered. S337 mentioned this to his partner.

For the first time in a long time, she displayed something approaching emotion as she replied. "Good. Now they won't get away."

The Klaxosaurs moved in for the kill. They would find they were woefully outmatched.


	7. Chapter 7: Divided We Fall

Finally, here is chapter seven. It was ready nearly two weeks ago, but the ending had a lot of dialogue that I wasn't too thrilled about. So, I spent almost an hour every day rewriting and revising the ending. Mainly because this chapter finally features 02, and I really wanted to get her character down better. I really hope that I did her justice, but I'll leave that up to you. As always, I hope you enjoy the reading as much as I enjoyed the writing.

 **Chp. 7**

 **Divided We Fall...**

* * *

The Gutenberg flinched as another barrage of missiles impacted upon its face, but it managed to stoically advance through the firestorm, despite the horrific caress of the magmaphex. Its flesh curled and blackened as gelatinous eyes popped and oozed away in a slurry of biochemical grool. Its armored shoulder was sheared away by a shrieking projectile, like it was made of mere paper instead of the hardened bio-armor that plated its hide. A moment later, a thrumming wave of sound slammed into it, slowing it by a fraction, but not even coming close to halting its relentless advance. The Gutenberg weathered Orion's arsenal like it was naught but a common rad-storm blown up from the southern regions of the Eurasian continent.

S199 was forced to admit, albeit begrudgingly, that the Gutenberg was a troubling opponent. It was nigh invincible too. It was like trying to bring down a mountain with a 9mm. The abomination was simply too solidly built for any real damage to make a lasting effect. Its threshold for pain was exceedingly high as well, even for one of its ilk. And the regenerative abilities it possessed were unbelievably efficient. It was... annoying, to say the least. But, he was confident that despite all of that, they were _technically_ winning. It was only a matter of time really.

Orion rocked beneath him as their shoulder mounted railgun fired once again, the targeting matrices upon his screen winking out momentarily as the magnetic forces at play scrambled them. A solid round pierced the air with alarming intensity, its speed surpassing the sound barrier with ease. When it impacted just to the right of the Klaxosaur's head it did so with devastating results. Another hole appeared within the monster, this time running all the way through. He cringed as he realized that he hadn't managed to pierce or even expose the core. Sloppy, he told himself. Very sloppy. His disappointment increased further as an alert popped up upon his display, informing him that the weapon was overheating as well. He sighed as he activated its cooling cycle, resigning the weapon to dormancy for several minutes.

The Mark I APE Magnetic Acceleration Railgun, otherwise known as _Onager,_ was, without a doubt, the most powerful weapon Orion had within her myriad arsenal; although thanks to its intense heat build up, it could only be used sparingly in extremely specific situations. The weapon made use of a magnetic acceleration system to hurl ultra-dense, magma-tipped titanium rounds at speeds exceeding Mach 6. When it fired, it did so with quite the kick, and could only be fired when they were stationary and with fire-supports engaged. It also had the added bonus of temporarily scrambling all of their systems thanks to the magnetic fields collapsing upon themselves after firing. But, it was well worth the investment of time, not to mention skill, to prepare it. The devastation a titanium round could cause when fired at such a speed was near apocalyptic in its potential. Unless, of course, your opponent's flesh completely dismissed logic and healed at an obscene rate.

As he watched the wound heal, which involved a series of truly unnerving motions and undulations, he reengaged the Franxx's mobilization protocols. The bracers upon their legs, which had been deployed to stabilize them during their barrage, swiftly withdrew, freeing them to move about. No sense in standing still in a combat zone if it wasn't an absolute necessity. The Gutenberg was getting a little too close for comfort as well. They needed to displace soon and establish a new line of fire.

"Aquila, this is Orion. I'm giving the railgun a moment to cool, so our suppression will slacken. We will displace and set up somewhere else as soon as possible."

"Solid copy, S199. Find somewhere decent to set up, preferably with a height advantage. I don't want a Conrad or Moho to sneak up on you when you're vulnerable. Lupus, can you delay the target?"

The pistil of Lupus answered in the affirmative. "Lupus here. We are certainly capable of doing that. Orion, you're free to fall back. We'll cover you."

"Roger that, S174. Thank you." He was grateful for Lupus's aid; although he had no idea how they would possibly manage to run interference, but he trusted his comrades to come up with something. Or rather, he trusted S174 and her terrifyingly intuitive killing sense to come up with something.

S199 activated the jump jets upon Orion's rear. These were heavy and crude, relying on pure, explosive force to actually achieve anything. And whatever _that_ was certainly could never be called flight, even in the most generous of terms. His stomach whirled, threatening to disgorge his last meal, as Orion boosted clear from the ground, putting a decent distance between them and the Gutenberg and the hordes of lesser Klaxosaurs that followed in its wake or heralded its approach. They landed, not nimbly, upon a sturdily constructed building. It shook with their landing, but it would support them firing. Hopefully.

The _Onager_ alerted him with a ready ping, and he switched their Franxx over into fire-support mode once again. The building was at a decent height to be out of reach of most Klaxosaurs, and yet still maintain a clear view of the Gutenberg. Finally, they could end this. He was just in time to see the after effects of Lupus's 'interference'.

* * *

"One on the right." S239 informed his partner.

"I see it." She replied as calm as could be despite the numbers they faced. She had adopted a predator's cold, calculating calm for this mission. Her focus lay entirely upon the hunt. If only they could all achieve this state of mind. Her partner certainly couldn't; though to his credit he did try.

Lupus surged past the insect-like Klaxosaur. The lithe war machine turned deftly, agile like nothing so large ever should be, and swept its heavy, curved blade through the creature's head as the Franxx performed a spiralling jump forward. The beast was not finished by such a strike, but the lesser Klaxosaur had never been Lupus's target to begin with, and this was the _only_ reason it survived the encounter with Lupus. The huntress had larger prey in mind and couldn't be bothered with inferior prey.

The Gutenberg loomed ahead, its invincible bulk like a living, heaving wall before them. But, every creature had a weakness, and the mark of a true hunter was finding such a thing and exploiting it. The first rule of the hunt was to know your enemy's strength, after all. Sometimes this was obvious, as it was in this case. It was obscenely large. Its very size was a weapon in its own right. She would turn this against the creature. Its sole pillar of strength would become a crutch upon which it would die leaning against.

Lupus surged forward, dodging and weaving between the lesser monsters as they desperately tried to halt the Franxx's advance. None were fast enough. None could even come close to matching such a sublime warrior.

Lupus jumped with her jets, clearing the Klaxosaur-infested reservoir and aiming straight for the Gutenberg. She skillfully manipulated her leap in mid-air and honed in on the point her pistil had identified as crucial to its continued survival.

The beast roared as Lupus slashed the back of its rear leg, cutting away the bio-mechanical muscle hidden behind the armored knee; though thick and armored, the legs were not indestructible. Lupus continued her assault and leapt to the other, repeating the same strike. The Gutenberg's rear collapsed as it lost control of its back legs.

Lupus landed on the other side of the Gutenberg, safe from retaliation for the moment. But, she had no intention of resting. The hunt was not yet finished. The killing blow had not yet been delivered. And the Gutenberg was already healing the damage she had inflicted; strands of bio-mechanical tissues reknitting themselves with a voracious alacrity.

Another burst from her jets and she was angling back to the Gutenberg's middle legs. Another series of slashes, delivered with excruciating precision, and the massive creature's body slammed into the ground, a tidal wave of displaced water splashing out and carrying away several of its lesser kin that had wandered too close.

S174 heard S199 whistle across the net. "That was damn fine, Lupus. I only caught that last strike, but..."

"Oh, please stop. You'll make me blush." She said in reply. There was no hint of flirtation or humor within her response, for this was merely intra-squad banter, a necessary concession that served to increase camaraderie and efficiency. Despite these supposed benefits, she delivered it as if S199 were an enemy, cold and emotionless, instead of a trusted ally. Of course, this was not really so, but in her mind _anything_ was a possibility worth consideration, even turning on one's former comrades, distasteful as that may be. And yet, despite all of her logical excuses for engaging in such pointless banter, the comment had truly touched her.

"Well, I am a rather handsome man. Such a remarkable thing as making you blush can only be considered a compliment by me." Orion's stamen replied in a confident, possibly even flirtatious, tone.

"...Hck... " S174 heard his pistil gag across the comm channel. She didn't blame the girl for her overly dramatic reaction. S199 had pressed the point more than he should have, as he often did.

"Hah! In your dreams, S199. You're as ugly as the Gutenberg down there," the stamen of Aquila teased.

S199 replied with utter confidence. "That may be so, my friend. But that thing is only ugly because of _this_ bad boy." Another round from Orion's rail gun slammed into the Gutenberg.

It was a perfect hit.

The top half of the Gutenberg's head was obliterated. Not torn off. Not sheared away. _Obliterated_. It simply ceased to exist. The beast's brains, what was left of them, spilled out and over the remnants of the skull. But, the devastation wasn't simply relegated to the head alone. The round had run straight through the spine of the creature, tearing a massive, trench-like wound along the center mass of the body. Such a devastating wound would heal, given time of course. A Klaxosaur would only stop if one pierced the core, this was known to all children. And within that bloody trench sat a bright, orange pearl of incredible strategic value. The heart of the beast had, at last, been revealed to the S.T.A.R.R.S.

"I retract my earlier statement, S199. The Klaxosaur _definitely_ looks better than you."

S199 spoke with none of the suave he had possessed before, curdling like spoiled milk. "Oh, go to hell S922! Just kill it already. We did our part, so do your's now!"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, my friend. One should be careful to not speak with such audacity to a superior in such a fashion. In fact I shou-."

"Oh, for the love of Papa. Can you two stop flirting for a single second and just kill it before it regenerates?!" The pistil of Aquila- S555- interrupted with her usually cheery voice, clearly exasperated beyond measure by the lack of action. A complacency that she now moved to correct.

Lupus watched from the ground as S555 dived her Franxx from above. The machine's form blurred as it accelerated far too quick to be considered safe. It was practically suicidal. _This_ was one of the many reasons several of their training simulations had ended with a casualty or two. The other times when Orion was the one at fault notwithstanding, of course.

The blurred Franxx slammed into the Gutenberg's exposed core and the entire Klaxosaur spasmed under the impact. It let loose a gurgling howl, which was all that it could manage to produce after its head had been so thoroughly obliterated. The leviathan continued to thrash violently, stomping its only remaining usable pair of legs into the water in utter futility, sending waves splashing into its lesser kin violently. Lupus was forced to fall back, less they suffer the same fate. After several seconds of this, the giant ceased its mighty movements, and died.

S174 decided that checking on her comrades was probably a wise thing to do. Especially after _that_ little stunt she just pulled. Damn that reckless girl, why couldn't Orion's _or_ Aquila's pistil restrain themselves? Perhaps the fault lay within their partner? No, that wasn't fair to the stamen. Something must have definitely gone wrong during the maturation process for the other pistils in her squad. "Aquila, how damaged are you?" She didn't even bother to entertain the possibility that they were undamaged.

There was no reply.

"Orion, do you have eyes on them?" S239 asked.

"Negative. The Klaxosaur shifted when it died. I can't see my handiwork anymore. But, you're slowly being surrounded, Lupus. There is almost two dozen already. More on the way. A lot more. I suggest you get out of there. We will cover you as much as possible."

"Roger that. But we're not going anywhere until we ensure Aquila is sa-"

Aquila appeared in all her glory.

The _Herald of Eternity_ rose from the wound in the beast's back, completely unscathed or unblemished. Natural light spilled about around her, illuminating her form as she ascended above the Gutenberg's corpse, held aloft by the sophisticated array of proto-thrusters that sprouted from her back, like the feathered wings of some great avian. As with all Franxxs, the machine was designed with femininity in mind, but to even call it a Franxx would have been an insult, for Aquila was impossibly ornate and elegantly detailed. She was clad in a pearly white that shone with such luster that it almost hurt to look upon it, and her joints, shoulders, and edges were trimmed in a radiant gold that shone gallantly through the dust of the battlefield. Numerous and exquisitely intricate algorithms of hexomathematic spatial geometry ringed her wrists, ankles, and neck like the finest pieces of jewelry. The advanced equations would appear as nothing more than a complicated floral display to the ignorant, however, to any mind educated in the ways of advanced mathematics, they were impossibly beautiful in their construction. Two elegant supports sprouted from the sides of her head, twisting together in a spiral until they conjoined in a twisted, golden knot, like the sun itself hovering above her, and from that conjunction did they sprout out along the horizontal plane and form a golden halo upon her.

Aquila was a work of art, created to express the combined magnificence of humanity's mastery of technology and archaic warrior spirit, both qualities bound in physical form. But, perhaps more important than any of that, was that she bore Papa's personal heraldry into battle. A massive tabard of scarlet-colored chain links hung from her chassis, interwoven with meters worth of solid gold wires worked in such a fashion as to display such an intricately detailed design; a glaring eye, wide open and seeing all before it, underscored by words in an ancient and dead language that few still recognized and even fewer could read.

The _Herald of Eternity_ did not simply go into battle unarmed though, for they were equipped with a tool appropriate for such a noble role as the herald of mankind's beloved leader. A bardiche, wielded in two hands, was their favored tool and it was no less ornate than the hands that grasped it. The same pearl ran the length of its shaft, and the axe head at the end possessed the eye-catching orange common to all magma weaponry. The trend of advanced mathematical equations as decorations continued, flowing up and down the shaft like molten gold, further enhancing the already inherent beauty. The weapon bore a name as well, as befitting its illustrious owner. It was known simply as _Deliverance_.

For a moment, all S174 could do was stare. She had never before seen Aquila like this. No one ever had. Her brain worked hard to overcome the myriad of conflicting emotions warring within her. The simulations were completely virtual, and they did not do the seraph before her justice. This was the herald's maiden voyage, and she should have been honored to witness it. But, she couldn't help but to feel a little envious of the parasites, hand picked by Papa no less, that were her current pilots. The idea of piloting such an embodiment of war... she could only imagine it. It hurt, even after all this time.

"Well," S922's voice filtered in. It was borderline patronizing, so filled with arrogance and self-righteousness. She loved S922 like the blood-brother he was, but oh how she hated him at times. "Are you just going to let yourself be surrounded? Or do you intend to let us do all the work?"

Her motion sensor pinged, as if to show her the truth. She was all too aware of the Klaxosaurs moving in around them, slowly cutting off their escape route. In reality this would be no problem, for Franxx's could utilize omnidirectional movement in order to fight, whilst the Klaxosaurs were restricted to the horizontal plane. But, it was a basic rule of warfare to never let oneself become surrounded. And Lupus had failed in that regard.

S174 had let her concern for her brother's well-being get the better of her. And now they were out of position. She had to move quickly if she wished to correct such a mistake. But, she didn't intend to run. That would be counterintuitive to their purpose for coming here anyways. Killing was their sole purpose, so she would kill everything she possibly could.

Lupus launched herself before the Klaxosaurs could do the same. The Franxx moved fast, far faster than her enemies. The first Klaxosaur was dead before it could even screech, a magma-dagger driven deep into its torso. The core leaked vital fluids as the corpse sagged, its limbs falling limp like some giant children's doll. Before the carcass could even crash into the water she was moving once more, the next enemy already in her sights.

The Klaxosaur before Lupus was crushed, the core shattered by the tapered point upon _Deliverance_. It died beneath the elegantly wrought feet of an angel.

"Figured you could use some help, dearest sister." S922 said as Aquila turned to greet the Klaxosaurs already rushing to swarm both Franxxs.

S174 saddled Lupus up behind Aquila. Back to back they stood, weapons at the ready and facing the mob of quickly gathering Klaxosaurs. They seemed to be coming out of the woodwork as they stumbled out into the reservoir from the surrounding city, adding their own voices to the maddening cries of their own kind. "When I need your help, I'll ask for it, _brother_. But, since you're here..."

"How many do you think there are? A hundred? Two? A thousand?" S555 seemed rather bemused that the Klaxosaurs were only holding back for the moment in order for them to achieve overwhelming numerical superiority. They would surely need it, for Aquila had joined the battle proper now.

"Does it matter? If the simulations are accurate, which they have been so far, then we are horribly over prepared for this." S239 offered his tactical analysis. He was getting eager, the taint of emotions creeping into his voice.

No. No they were not. Maybe the others, but not Lupus. They weren't designed to fight this many opponents at once. S174 knew the limitations of her Franxx all too well.

"I suppose it would seem that way. But, what troubles me is if you and that stunted dog of a Franxx can keep up or not? What do you say, S239, to a challenge?"

S174 cringed as she heard the insult. Of course, he meant nothing by it truly. Her brother was fully aware of Lupus's capabilities and role within the squad, but that would never stop him from flaunting his superiority as stamen of Papa's personal representative upon the battlefield. She didn't appreciate that her Franxx was considered little more than a dog by him either. It was true Lupus could never match Aquila in a fair fight, but she had her own qualities that S174 fully enjoyed. The first being that Lupus was _her_ Franxx. The second being that Lupus had many hidden secrets and tricks just waiting to be deployed, each one capable of turning the fight to their advantage. There was no reason Lupus ever had to 'play fair'.

"Hey, I'll take that bet!" She cringed again as S047's voice screeched across the net, louder than a Klaxosaur could ever, and infinitely more annoying. Just what we needed, she thought to herself. More vainglorious arrogance. At least S199 would do his best to handle her.

Orion slammed down into the reservoir, disconcertingly close to the other Franxxs, despite having no real control over their descent. Such an ill-advised maneuver would have brought about a verbal reprimand had they been in one of their simulations. Actual field settings though changed such matters. This did not sit well with S174.

"Orion! I thought you were covering us?!" The surprise was evident in S922's voice.

"Well, we technically still are covering everyone. _Onager_ is rather pointless against such small targets, especially at the distance we were at, so we decided that getting in close was the best option." It was obvious S199 had spoken in order to cover his partner's reckless action in abandoning their advantageous position.

"Oh, I see. An insightful tactical assessment..." S922 played along for his friend's sake. It was not like it truly mattered now. With the Gutenberg gone, they had little cause for worry. "In that case I'm glad you're here; although it may prove to be rather unnecessary. Kill well, my friends."

They stood together. Three against hundreds. Possibly even a thousand. But, it mattered not to the children. The Sage had always pushed them harder than this. And so, they stood with no fear or thought of retreat. They only thought of the best engagement patterns. Or the best actions to take that would ensure the most devastation with maximum efficiency. And, of course, the glory that would surely be their's when they returned triumphant.

S047 calculated how much magmaphex she would have to use. It was, of course, far above the recommended safe usage. It always was.

S199 thought about how often the sonic cannon could be utilized in between bursts of magmaphex, for it did not have an unlimited source of power. He also quietly calculated the likelihood of Orion requiring a new paint job after all this was over. It was high. It was very high.

S922 could only think of how lucky he was to be the stamen of Aquila, Papa's most favored Franxx. And he had done much to live up to the role bestowed upon him. A Gutenberg kill and now _this_! Truly such a slaughter of these ugly wretches would appease Papa. And Andromeda was likely to return with the Praetorian as well. Their first mission was off to a gleaming success already.

S555 simply couldn't be happier. She was surrounded by friends, doing what they were born to do. And there was no hint of being told to stop. What an incredible opportunity to fight as freely as she wished, without limits or restraints.

S239 was proud to serve Papa on this day. He was proud to fight alongside the Herald of Eternity as well. Papa would surely see him and recognize his actions and bravery, even if he was stamen to the weakest Franxx within the squad.

S174 simply saw a mass of overwhelming targets, each one fully capable of dealing a lethal blow to her Franxx if she made even the slightest of errors. Such was the nature of piloting Lupus. She calculated a sixty-four percent chance that they would succeed in destroying all of the Klaxosaurs with no casualties. Their saving grace was Aquila; though she loathed to admit it. If Orion had stayed distant they would have had a better chance as well, their chance perhaps increasing into the high seventies, but she had no control over the others. And if Andromeda were here as well there was no chance of failure. If, if, if, if... too many 'ifs' for her liking. There should only be hard facts in their battles, but that was clearly never going to happen.

It was Lupus that broke the standoff, leaping _onto_ the nearest Klaxosaur. S174 had judged that taking the first action in the fight offered the highest chance of success. She stabbed their dagger downwards, punching through the core. They leapt again just as the Klaxosaur disintegrated, landing nimbly between two Conrads. Lupus twirled, both blades extended, and the creatures were driven back by the whirlwind with numerous shallow wounds. They moved to swiftly eliminate the wounded.

Aquila, never the one to stand idle while others claimed glory, surged forward with a wordless cry, their wings lowered and their blade sweeping out. The blade was honed to the molecular level and struck true, slicing through no less than four Klaxosaurs in a single stroke. _Deliverance_ claimed another three on the reverse stroke, just before the herald twirled the weapon in hand and brought the full force of judgment down upon an exceptionally large Moho-class. Two halves, cleanly bisected, splashed into the ever-darkening waters of the reservoir.

Aquila's wings flared and sent them hurtling above a thicket of Klaxosaurs. The creatures turned their heads to gaze upon the angel, but they were in turn incinerated by Orion's magmaphex caster. They screeched as they died, unable to regenerate their bodies under such an intense concentration of flames. Their cores quickly overloaded with the intense heat, and they popped like blisters beneath a hot knife.

As Aquila landed they struck out again, slamming their weapon into the waters. The power behind the blow was immense, not only did they succeed in crushing an enemy completely, but the force behind the blow spread out, destroying several Klaxosaurs that had been merely too close to the poor monster. The _Herald of Eternity_ was never too be taken lightly.

Orion turned, her stamen confident that Aquila required no further assistance, and unleashed a wave of sonic energy into a crowd of Klaxosaurs that had been on the approach. The frequency shattered their cores with ease, and the entire cluster simply vanished in a storm of gore. They followed up such an attack by unleashing a barrage of cluster missiles into another knot of enemies upon their left. The missiles broke apart mid-air, and a thousand explosions ripped into the Conrads. A casual sweep of their right arm saw the final group upon their right flank bathed in chemical fire.

S199 was satisfied with these results, and so was his partner. Wordlessly they activated their jump-jets, launching Orion deeper into the mass of enemies with the intent to repeat the process of destruction that their Franxx did so well.

Lupus, in sharp contrast to her sisters, struggled through the throng, every opponent far outclassing her in terms of height and weight. She wasn't designed for this type of attrition warfare, where strength and mass meant more than speed and skill. There was hardly any room to maneuver as well, but she did the best she could, which was exceptional in its own right.

Lupus weaved and dodged more often than she attacked, only taking the offensive when the opportunity presented itself and had a low chance of failure. This was the only way Lupus would succeed. Sure, they could run away and fight in a more advantageous position. That would have been the most logical thing to do, but that was also extremely cowardly for they had received no orders authorizing such a re-deployment. And so, they fought alongside their comrades. Horribly unprepared though they were.

S174 could catch glimpses of her comrades through the melee. They weren't even struggling with these creatures. They were slaughtering all that stood before them, the monsters little better than chaff before the wind. Meanwhile, Lupus fought tooth and nail against opponents, the smallest of which were nearly three times their size. Her thoughts were disturbed as one such creature intruded upon her state of relative calm. She threw their shoulder forward into a roll, barely dodging an overhead slam from the howling Klaxosaur that resembled a bipedal crustacean.

"S239, I have a proposition." Lupus nimbly dodged a chitin-covered claw that crackled with lighting. S174 could feel the energy bleed across the link she shared with Lupus. She pulled Lupus back on course and slashed the limb clean off, before twirling in close to deliver a lethal strike to the Moho-class, their dagger wedging itself into a small gap within the otherwise impervious shell, the core suffering a similar fate mere moments later. The beast died in a shuddering roar as Lupus moved away quickly, the body crashing down behind them.

"I'm listening," she could hear the strain in his voice. He was having a difficult time keeping up with her, but he was trying his hardest. And that was all that mattered in the end. She couldn't help but to admire that steadfast determination.

"We should activate our enhanced combat mode."

"What?! Are you serious? We can't possibly do that. It's far too dangerous. You know it's only there in case of a 'last stand' situation. We-"

She interrupted him. "You're getting tired, S239. I can hear it in your voice, so don't deny it. This fight is tough, and you can't keep up. You need it activated just as much as I do." Her logic was without fault as she appealed to the analytical side of his mind.

"B-but..., no. We can't. It's far too dangerous! Besides, Aquila and Orion will eliminate all of the Klaxos, if given enough time. We only have to-"

"Have to what? Stand by and let them do all the work? We have fourteen kills so far. _Fourteen_. Against how many of our comrades? I estimate both teams have already claimed at least a hundred kills already. We're falling behind. We need the enhanced mode." And now she appealed to his emotional side.

S239 sighed. "Maybe you're right. But, damn it, are you sure? If something goes wrong..."

A rare inflection of pride entered her voice. The casual insult her brother had thrown out earlier had gotten to her; although she would never admit it. "Aren't you tired of always being in their shadows? Of always being seen as the weakest? I know I am. This is our first mission. We should take the opportunity to show them our worth. That we aren't simply worthy of being relegated to a support role such as a scout or even bait, and that we can hold our own against any threat."

S239 sighed, defeated by her argument. "Okay. Fine, I'll activate it. But, if anything goes wrong, I'm placing all of the blame on you."

"That's only fair."

"Indeed it is. Activ-"

Something fell from the sky.

It landed amidst the mass of Klaxosaurs, pulverizing them beneath its momentum. At least a dozen more were thrown into the air by the sheer force behind the impact. Before their bodies could even land, a bright, orange blur sliced through them. The cores were instantly destroyed, and the bodies exploded, the blue ichor splattering onto the remnants of their still-living kin.

S174 caught a glimpse of the object from her vantage point, so very far away. She would have magnified her vision, but she didn't wish to induce tunnel vision in the middle of the chaotic melee. A figure, clad in crimson and ivory, spurred forward with unnatural speed. She could barely even track it as it slammed into a cluster of enemies. She saw the spear flash once more and half a dozen fell before it.

She couldn't believe her eyes. It was one of _them_. It was a 9 Model, fighting with all the skill and bravery they supposedly possessed in abnormal amounts.

The Franxx moved, its movements a blur of perfection. The pilot skillfully turned a dodge into a flowing strike that impaled several Klaxosaurs. They burst before the legendary warrior, clearly no match for the best humanity had to offer.

"S922. Are you seeing this?" S239 asked, awestruck by the sight before him. His attention was almost so focused that he missed the monster rearing up for a strike behind them.

"Behind us!" S174 blurted out, her voice rising several octaves as an uncharacteristic sensation gripped her. It would have been known as fear in a lesser being, for she understood that there was no time to dodge this attack. Even so, it was merely 'apprehension' in her well-disciplined mind.

Another object fell from the sky; though with considerably less force.

The 9 Model slammed into the Klaxosaur behind them, killing it with ease. The machine stood atop the kill, a heavy-headed magma spear thrumming as it burned idly through the corpse beneath. The Franxx turned towards Lupus and spoke with their external speakers.

"Oh, and who might you be?"

S174 didn't have time to answer. The area wasn't clear, and as long as one enemy still stood she couldn't rest. She lurched Lupus forward, sprinting past the 9 and dropping into a slide, their khopesh flicking out to sever a Klaxosaur's legs from beneath it. It fell, howling in rage. They stood and twirled, stabbing downwards into the collapsed creature in order to finish it. Its screech was squelched as she twisted the blade into the core.

A spear flashed before them, almost causing her to flinch, but instead it skewered a Klaxosaur beside them. The 9 Model pushed forward and kicked the howling beast off its spear.

"My oh my, you're an eager one, aren't you? Tell me something, are you one of Code 015's squad? I haven't seen all of their squad's Franxxs yet, so I'm always eager to see what else that squad has in store. Oh, you're always so surprising, Squad 13!"

She couldn't tell which was worse: the arrogance lacing through his voice like poison or the sarcasm that dripped from it like venom. Both were equally appalling. It didn't help that he reminded her of her brother either. Was everyone but her and a precious few others like this?

"I am _not_ of Squad 13, 9A. I am Code S174, and although it is an honor to meet you, we are quite _preoccupied_ at the moment." She moved Lupus to narrowly avoid a charging Conrad, the creature stumbling past.

"Oh, don't be like that. We're clearly allies, even if we have never met before. Code S174? Hmm. What an interesting designation. Are you a test squad?" The stamen, whom her screen had identified as 9A, pondered as he dispatched the lumbering Conrad with ease, the beast providing little more impedance than a pebble would.

The difference in their fighting styles was clear to anyone who paid the slightest bit of attention. The 9 Model wove its way effortlessly through the battlefield, striking here and there, killing everytime it did so. In stark contrast, Lupus barely managed to exist in the turbulent melee. She was forced to utilize every advantage possible, chief among them was her speed and agility, neither of which could be met by the enemy, much less surpassed. This only served to worsen S174's already frustrated mind.

"You could say that, 9A, but honestly wouldn't you rather save the talking for _after_ the enemy has been dealt with?" The warrior before them was certainly worth showing more respect to than she was currently offering, but she couldn't care less at the moment. They had bigger problems to deal with than a lack of professionalism. She dropped Lupus into a crouch, narrowly avoiding one such problem before she twisted to avoid another such problem from the rear. Her movements were impossibly quick and controlled and no other Franxx could ever possibly mimic such movements; though, in reality, no other Franxx would ever have reason to perform such maneuvers.

" _After_? Oh, please, we shouldn't waste any more time than we already have. This rabble is barely worth dirtying my blade with, after all." S174 felt an emotion well up within her, and it was associated with this parasite. Legendary warrior and hero of humanity he may be, but she finally decided she didn't like him. At all. He was far more arrogant than was allowed within her, considerably high, level of tolerance. She decided the best course of action was to simply limit her future interaction with him.

"Then leave."

"Leave?!" The Franxx turned in her direction, facing away from a recently gutted Klaxosaur. " _Leave_?" His voice was aghast with such a proposition, as if the very idea of leaving was anathema to him. "But we only just got here. It would be very rude of you to send us away, especially since we decided to lend a helping hand in our ally's time of need. And look!" The customized machine swept its blade around, uncaring of the few remaining Klaxosaurs that were perilously close to it. "The tide has turned in humanity's favor. Another victory in Papa's name! These beasts are basically finished," the Franxx brought its spear back down, the magma-blade slicing clean through a Klaxosaur that had decided to take a chance and advance too close, "it's only a matter of time, after all."

Lupus finally finished off a Klaxosaur that had managed to put up quite a fight, at least by their standards. Even then, the outcome was never in any doubt for S174 was a skilled pilot, and was fully aware of her mount's capabilities and limitations. After that, she moved to the next enemy, or at least, she had such an intent.

S174 looked about, almost confused by the sudden stillness in the air. The Klaxosaurs were dead, or too heavily injured to present a threat. Not one still stood. They had won, it would seem. Even so, she didn't relax her guard. This was still a combat mission. Such a mindset was not shared with her new 'ally'.

"So, now that the battle is over, will you tell me a bit about yourself? You're so... unique. All of your squad is, apparently," 9A said as his vision swept across the abnormal Franxxs that he had encountered. "Does that one over there have wings?!" The 9 Model pointed a crimson tipped finger at the distant figure of Aquila. "Oh, how very unique. Yes, this is quite an interesting find. But, it does make me wonder why I wasn't informed about your deployment..."

She didn't know if he was asking her or idly speaking to himself. Already possessing a firm understanding of his level of arrogance, she could easily assume it to be the latter of the two. Despite her earlier decision to distance herself from the boy, she spoke up. "If you wish to know, ask my acting squad leader- S922- as I am currently not at liberty to explain such matters, nor do I particularly care to. I'll patch you into our network."

"Oh, you're too kind, S174. Finally you decide to show some manners." She let the 'compliment' slide off her. This was her brother's problem now, not hers.

S239 went ahead and patched the entirety of the Nines squad into the S.T.A.R.R.S comm channel.

"S922? This is 9A."

"9A?! H-how did you get on this channel?"

"Why, this little cutie-," she desperately hoped he meant her Franxx, "-over here decided to patch me in so we could talk one-on-one. I have several questions, if you don't mind me asking." She rolled her eyes. Technically speaking it had been her partner, not her, that had patched them into the comm net.

"Of course! But, first, can we meet Franxx to Franxx? I've never met a Nine before, and it would be a great honor to do so." Oh, please. She rolled her eyes once again and Lupus awkwardly attempted to mirror the expression as best as her canine-esque face would allow.

"Fantastic! Then, come on over here, I'm by your squadmate, S174." She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her brother was little better than a dog in this boy's eyes.

Aquila wasted no time in hurrying to meet the Nine, literally taking flight to lessen the travel time. And as the herald landed, they knelt before the Nine, genuflecting like a knight before his sworn liege.

S174 couldn't help but to think of how pathetic such a display was. Not to mention a waste of time. They should be hunting Klaxosaurs down. This plantation was still a human city, and it was infested with the beasts. They shouldn't be groveling before this conceited child when killing was still to be done. She mildly entertained the idea of sneaking off and hunting the remaining beasts down herself, as her Franxx was literally made just an operation. Only the discipline of the Sage, drilled into her mind through countless hours of training, stopped her from doing so.

As Aquila rose from their state of cringe-inducing subservience, S922 spoke eagerly, "I can't believe it! The Nines themselves are here to assist us! I just want to say, it's a great honor to fight alongside you, 9A."

9A appraised the ornate Franxx before his own, assessing its strengths and weaknesses with a practiced eye. He was certainly not as complacent as his attitude would otherwise suggest. "Don't worry about it. We're allies after all, united under Papa's benevol- wait." The cheer within his voice died out instantly. "What is that?" The 9 Model gestured to Aquila's tabard. Or rather, it gestured specifically to the heraldry embroidered upon it.

"This? This is Papa's personal he-"

"Heraldry." 9A finished for him. His voice became cold, completely bereft of the familiarity he had so easily displayed only moments before. "You wear... Papa's personal heraldry?"

S174 moved Lupus in close behind Aquila. She tightened their grip on their weapons. The Nine's tone no longer contained traces of casual disdain. It was downright hostile, and she moved to support her comrades. Multiple scenarios played through her head as she thought of possible outcomes from this conversation, none of which were positive. She opened a private channel to Orion and hurried them to arrive at their position. She noticed that the other 9 Model in the area had taken a place behind 9A. Her brother, despite his incredible intellect, noticed none of this.

"Well, yes. Of course we do. It is an honor that Papa personally bestowed upon Aquila, as well as our title." S922's voice was filled with nothing but pride, overcome by his intense faith in Papa.

"Title?... Why do you have a title... and _His_ heraldry... on your Franxx?"

"That's right! Aquila bears the title of the _Herald of Eternity_. As Papa's personal representative in this war we couldn't have just used the designated name of our Franxx, after all. It would have been disrespectful to Him."

"Personal representative... a human?!"

S174 heard 9A's voice crack. Was his pride truly such a fragile thing? She knew from her brief conversation with him that he was incredibly conceited, but wasn't this overdoing it a bit? It would seem the child's entire worldview was shattered by the realization that he wasn't Papa's favorite. She snickered to herself at that, a rare moment of emotional indulgence overtaking her. It was very brief. She instantly refocused on the situation. It was liable to turn lethal at any point. And, for some reason, a small part of her actually _wanted_ it to do so, if only so she could teach 9A some manners. Not that he would be alive to retain the lesson, but...

"That's right! I was hand picked by Papa himself as Aquila's stamen. It was the single greatest moment of my life, and I remember it with perfect clarity. Would you like me to recount it for you?" S922 wasn't exaggerating at all. The day he had been chosen to pilot Aquila was his most treasured memory, and he shared it with the entirety of his squad at least three times a week. At this point, S174 was able to imagine herself in his stead. It was a thought that stung with bitterness.

"..." 9A was utterly speechless.

"What's wrong, 9A? Are you alright?" S922 seemed genuinely concerned for the boy, oblivious to the seething hatred lurking within 9A.

"...Where... are my comrades?" The 9 asked in a daze as his mind defaulted to simple reasoning, unable to comprehend the situation.

Aquila visibly flinched as her pistil realized that it would have to be _them_ that broke the news. Such a duty fell to the ranking parasite, after all. And that individual was technically S922.

"Oh, right. About that. Well, the Praetorian was, supposedly, an incredibly difficult enemy..."

"S922. Where are my 9s?" The 9 Model stared at Aquila, cold eyes boring into the herald.

"They're dead. The Praetorian killed them." S174 stated. She did it mainly on her brother's behalf, but she would be lying if she said she didn't take a small amount of satisfaction in delivering it to 9A. Did that make her a bad person?

"They're... dead? How...? Bravo and Gamma...dead?" She watched as his Franxx looked away and into the sky, even though the plantation's ceiling blocked any sort of view. His form visibly slackened. The mech's fingers loosening around the shaft of its weapon. The energized spear dipped so low that the blade itself slipped into the reservoir, flash-vaporizing the water into steam.

"...How...?"

"The Praetorian," her brother began explaining, "is the one that killed them. We were deployed in order to bring it in alive. We were-"

"HOW?!"

They didn't see the 9 Model move. It blurred into action, slamming into Aquila, a mechanical hand fastening itself around her throat and lifting her into the air. The herald's wings fluttered in response, as if they were alive. 9A lifted the humming blade of his spear, the tip sparking dangerously close to her optics.

"HOW?" 9A's voice thundered across both the externals and comm channel as he demanded an answer. "HOW COULD YOU LET THEM DIE?"

"9A!" S922's panic stricken voice filtered across the net. "What are you doing?! We're your allies!"

"ALLIES? ALLIES?! YOU ARE _HUMAN_ , AND NOTHING MORE. MEAT BRED ONLY TO FEED THE GRINDER IN PLACE OF YOUR BETTERS. WHY DO YOU WRETCHES LIVE AND MY COMRADES DO NOT? ANSWER ME!" The blade tip sung as it responded to his rage, magma-energy bleeding off it in waves.

"9A." S174 spoke his name cold and calm, the words ghosting across the net. "Think very carefully about your next action."

Lupus had moved as well; though in a far more subtle fashion. The inner-edge of her curved khopesh was hooked just below the 9 Model's neck. A single flick of her wrist and 9A's cockpit would be severed. Without moving her gaze from the machine, she spoke to the other 9 Model that had just begun to move. "Don't move an inch. I won't hesitate to kill your leader."

The second Nine hesitated, stopping in mid-stride. A wise decision, S174 decided. At this point, she was looking for a good excuse to kill.

Orion splashed down from above and into the reservoir between the intense standoff. She raised her weapon arms in a warding gesture directed to all present. When she spoke, she did so with the voice of her stamen.

"Whoa now. Everyone just stay calm and don't do anything you might regret later. 9A, listen to me. We had _nothing_ to do with your comrade's deaths. We weren't even here yet. We deployed after their encounter with the Praetorian, which by the way is still loose within the city. So, if you want to find the thing responsible for their deaths, then it would probably be for the best if we all worked together. Or, you know, you could die here and waste Papa's resources." S199 spoke as the sole voice of reason, despite being stamen to what was essentially a walking weapons platform.

For a moment, nothing happened. Not a single bio-mechanical muscle so much as twitched. Neither side was willing to back down. Neither side _could_ afford to back down. Emotions, those obsolete things, warred within every parasite present. Pride, rage, and fear had made their presence known. The concoction had reached a boiling point, and it could either spill over into nothing, or it would consume them all. But, 9A eventually conceded the point, lowering his spear as he did so.

"Fine then. I'll find this Praetorian." The 9 Model released Aquila, who splashed down lightly into the reservoir. S555 instinctively rubbed her throat and Aquila mirrored the action.

9A ignored the curved blade that hummed mere meters from his Franxx's throat. He turned his mount to face Orion. "Where was it seen last?"

"Over there," Orion gestured with their sonic cannon, pointing towards a nest of organic looking vines that had managed to swallow a decent portion of the city. By now though, the uncontrolled growth had ceased as the plantation finally lost power, the magma energy being sucked dry or otherwise gone to waste as damage from the Klaxosaurs had spread throughout the city. No matter the way, the city had gone dark, illuminated only by the gaping hole torn open by the Gutenberg.

"9 Omega. We're leaving." 9A stated as the thrusters upon his Franxx swelled with power, heat haze spilling out around them.

"Wait! Don't leave without us." S922 pleaded with the Nine, somehow forgetting the situation from mere moments earlier. "We should go together. We have a comrade in that mess too, but you can help find them. We can finish this mission quickly and safely if we all work together."

9A paused, seeming to consider the offer of help. "Fine then, _human_. But, stay out of our way. The 9s will finish this, in His name. Do you understand?"

S922 was practically beaming as he replied. "Yes, Sir! I assure you, we will be nothing but help to you." The reply made his sister seriously consider if he had gone completely mad. Maybe the sub-orbital drop had shaken his brain? She suddenly realized that she missed his usual attitude of arrogance.

"Is that so? Then keep up with me. If you can't, then I'll leave you behind."

* * *

I ran a claw along the blade's keen edge, marveling at the inherent lethality. The weapon we held was a pole arm, in a fashion. A midnight-blue blade, curved like a crescent and knapped like flint, protruded from a long shaft of reflective onyx. At the opposite end sat a weighted ball, studded with dense spikes. The weapon lacked even the barest of ornamentation and appeared like it had been mass-produced in a factory; though in that assumption lay a cunning deception. It wasn't what it appeared to be at all.

I don't even think it could be defined as a 'true' weapon.

I tightened our grip along the shaft and felt a pinprick of pain alight within our palm. A moment later and I felt something brush against our shared mind. The sensation was not unlike when Lilith stirred. But, this new sentience was unrefined in emotions and singular in purpose, totally unlike my partner's alien, but ultimately civilized, conscience.

The 'weapon' possessed sentience, albeit only in the crudest sense of the word.

New sensations flowed through the fresh connection, information coming in from what was now a new extension of our already complex form. A frosty eye, lit from within by a form of bioluminescence, opened upon the shaft just below the blade. It had a solid point of emptiness within it, and this moved freely around, observing our surroundings. It was a pupil, and whatever it looked upon was filtered back to Lilith and I through the connection we three shared. It focused upon us momentarily and for the first time I was able to see what our enemies had seen.

We hadn't changed much since our awakening. If anything, we appeared more bestial than before. Our head was still triangular like a reptile's, rows of razor-sharp teeth jutting out from a lip-less maw. Sapphires of pure ice set within our armored face looked out upon the world with a chilling stare. A thick, armored neck extended from a broad, humanoid chest, clad in plates of near-identical, carapace-like armor. An assortment of quills, spines, and other fine sensory filaments extended out from our broad back, waving gently in the air via their own accord. Our abdominal region narrowed to a nest of directional thrusters, clustered around our hips. Our thighs were heavily armored in the same fashion as the rest of our body, encased behind plates of deep-blue that appeared to be formed organically rather than shaped by mortal hands. Our legs were formed for digitigrade locomotion, like that of a large bird or bipedal reptile, and was the cause of our loping gait when we walked. Talons sprouted from our feet, thick and curved, they would work equally well in disemboweling or climbing.

After taking a long look at our form, the eye promptly closed. The sentience bound within the weapon cared little for idle observance, and had gone back to its slumber willingly. I felt it fade away as the connection dropped until all we held was a simple weapon once more. I knew without needing to be told that it would arise once more when we needed to kill. I only needed to ring the dinner bell.

We should name this thing.

Why? Lilith wondered.

Because it is an ally. It _deserves_ a name.

It's a weapon, and only that. Nothing more. The sentience bound within it is only present to increase our combat efficiency. It is not a pet.

And yet, it was one of the gifts given to us. We should care for it, less we offend our new patron. The thought of having to meet with _that_ particular creature again sent my skin crawling with unease.

The bioweaver is not that petty. She serves her intended purpose, the same as us. The weapon was given to us so we could fight on better terms. It was not given as a gift, but rather as insurance that we would accomplish our mission. The enemy will come for the key in time, they cannot afford to remain idle. Which means we should move to activate the key in our favor while we still can.

What do you mean by that? 'In our favor'?

The key is a sentient being, as I have stated before, and thus is capable of choosing its own fate. We must convince it that we are in the right, or rather, _you_ must convince it.

Wait, what? Why do I have to do it?

Because, despite the changes to your physical form and the alterations to your mental state, you are still genetically human. You are the only one capable of direct interaction with the key, which means you are also the only one capable of influencing the key. Our mission's success relies solely upon you and your social skills from here on out.

I couldn't stop from laughing across our link, the connection stuttering as I pushed too much traffic across it. When I had recovered my composure at last, I spoke again to Lilith.

You are horrible at telling jokes. You're fortunate I share your sense of humor.

I was not joking. You must do this.

Why? I asked, suddenly serious.

Because you promised you would stand with me.

And this... is standing with you?

It is. You swore yourself to aid me, no matter what. I need your help now. If you cannot convince the key to aid us, then we will all be consumed by what is to come. If that day comes, then you will have failed in your promise. Would you be known as an oathbreaker to me?

Consumed? What an interesting choice of words. Fine. Let's just get this over with. You're about to see my amazing social ability at work.

We gathered our weapon to us and moved, striding confidently down the middle of the chamber. Our exact location was unknown to me now, but Lilith assured me that we were right where we needed to be. I wasn't one to argue that point.

The chamber itself was like many we had already come through. Massive in scale, as it was constructed with titanic beings in mind, and lit with the same deep blue that permeated the darkness of this 'city'. Lilith continued to insist it was a city, but I had my doubts.

In the center of the chamber, upon a raised dais that looked eerily like an altar, sat the key itself. I had no idea how it had arrived here, for we had certainly had no hand in it. We had delivered it to the bioweaver, after that... I'm not entirely sure what had happened to it. It had arrived here before us, that was all I knew. All that mattered was that it was here to begin with.

We made it to the key, halting our steps just before the 'altar'. Now that we were closer, I could see more symbols engraved upon the base. Perhaps it carried religious significance, I wondered briefly. We knelt, bringing us in close so that I could study the key's condition.

The key was impossibly unblemished. Even the battle-damage it had received upon the surface was gone, repaired by someone. Or rather, _something_ , I thought as the bioweaver's existence came back to haunt me. Nonetheless, it had done an excellent job of restoring the key. Fresh metal gleamed in the dismal light, as shiny as the day it had been forged. Dents had been buffed out and scratches had been erased entirely. The only portion not restored fully was the red paint upon areas that had been damaged. How all this had been accomplished in such a short time was a mystery I did not care to ponder. The answer obviously lay with the bioweaver, and that was disturbing enough to ward off any further investigation.

You are stalling.

Lilith's statement disturb my thoughts and I realized that I was indeed stalling. I did not particularly care for what needed to be done. I'd rather just return to the surface and kill, but I was bound to Lilith now, sworn to an oath that I would never break. That I never _could_ break. I briefly wondered why I held the promise in such high regard, but dismissed it as irrelevant.

Fine. How do we begin?

Speak to the key.

I looked at the key. It didn't move. I switched to thermal vision. No movement. I switched to infrared. No movement. I switched to night-vision. No movement. I switched to ultraviolet. No movement. I switched through a dozen different filters and received the same outcome each time.

What are you doing, Samael?

You said talk to the key. Well, the key isn't moving. Which means, it won't talk to me. I'm trying to see if the key is alive.

The key is alive.

Are you sure of that?

Yes, I am. It merely lies dormant.

This machine is dormant? Can we jump it? I'm fairly certain I remember our form possessing several methods of inducing an electrical current. Perhaps if we had some cables on hand we could-

No, that's not what I meant. The key cannot be 'jumped' into wakefulness. You must speak to its biological component.

Oh, so that's why you needed me. You need me to speak with the pilot. You really should have opened with that. We could have not wasted all this time. You realize what this means though, right?

What? I could sense genuine confusion in her question.

It means we will have to separate. If what you fear is true, well, then we could possibly die.

She hesitated, but only for a moment.

Then we shall separate.

So confident now. You weren't so decisive before.

Yes. I know. But, that was because it was an unnecessary risk. Now, it is a necessary one. I have no fear of dying, but I don't wish to die needlessly. If it is to further the mission, then so be it. I will accept the risk.

Can't argue with that. I was excited, and I moved to conceal it from Lilith. Sure, what we were about to do could be our shared death, but if we survived... oh, the possibilities were truly endless.

Open.

She complied.

The first thing to go was our vision. Everything was black and for a very brief moment I thought we had died. Sound filtered in around me, quiet at first, as micro machinery _clinked_ and _tinked_ around me. A solid _clunk_ shook the world as something heavy moved aside.

Everything went silent and, for the first time in this life, I felt wind upon my flesh. My _real_ flesh.

I opened my eyes. My organic eyes. A moment of blurry vision greeted me, and then the world was thrown into surprising clarity. Far quicker than I would have thought possible. I looked around the area I had resided within for the last century. The cockpit wasn't much to look at.

I was reclined upon a throne that would have served as a decent surgery bed. The throne itself was fitted to my form, and an assortment of brass colored wires and rubbery cables ran from the throne and _into_ my body. Before I could truly investigate these, something occurred that diverted my attention.

I felt more than saw as something disengaged from my forehead. I moved my hand to inspect it and found that I could not. Glancing down I saw the reason for this. My hand was caught in some sort of enclosure that locked it to the armrest. I willed it to move again and this time the enclosure ran like a liquid and flowed away.

My hand moved upwards towards my head but I stopped it mid-transition. My arm's appearance was... unnatural. It wasn't organic in any sense of the word. The 'skin' was matte black and covered in minuscule bumps, like goose flesh. The forearm, elbow, and upper arm were armored in a dark-blue carapace that reflected what little light remained this deep beneath the world. The back of my hand shared in such similar protection as well, clad like a mailed fist. My digits ended in sharpened claws, like scaled versions of Lilith's own. Soft blue lights glowed dimly at several different points along my arm, providing a meager amount of illumination.

The idea that my hand was not my own would have been terrifying to most of my kind. But, I had no memory of it ever being different. I only knew it was not natural, but that fact didn't phase me in the least.

I resumed the exploration of my head and found that I had two metallic studs jutting stubbornly from my temple. My claws prodded the surrounding area and I realized that I still had flesh here upon my head. Interesting.

I leaned forward and heard a soft click as something detached from me at the base of my neck. No, wait. Not detaching _from_ me, but detaching _with_ me. I could feel them as well, as if they were extra limbs. Curiously, I willed them into my vision and they appeared to either side.

Two thin, delicate tentacles slithered into my view. They moved under my direction just like any other limb, albeit they still waved as if they were under water. They were composed of segments of silver metal with glowing, sapphire internals, and they coiled listlessly upon themselves like a cephalopod's tentacles. Each one terminated in a whorl of translucent tentacles that looked like they had been ripped straight off of a sea anemone.

I lifted my hand and extended a single claw. Very carefully I stabbed it forward, its target being the mass of translucent tentacles. The two met and the appendage retreated swiftly, the pale tentacles withdrawing into the tip where it was safer. I felt a sharp pinprick as well from the poke; though it had been through the new appendages. Oddly enough, nothing was felt through the claw, like it had made no contact. So, these two tentacles were also sensory organs, or at least they possessed such capabilities. Very interesting.

I lifted my other hand and ran the claws against each other. The digits scraped harshly together, like a fan of knives. No pain registered though, just a dull throb like one would experience through an armored glove. So, these areas were deadened to touch-sense and the tentacles were a form of compensation.

I decided I had wasted plenty of time and stood up, rising from my control throne. Cables disconnected with hissing pressure from various points across my body. They fell to the wayside before pulling themselves back into the throne. Two larger cables pulled themselves clear of the throne itself and- oh hell, I cursed inwardly. These two were attached to me as well. They were cousins to the ones upon my neck; though they far out-classed them in size and apparent sturdiness. They were segmented like a centipede, clad in azure-colored armor plates with black internals, matching my body's color scheme. As they finally detached from the throne, slinking back into my body through my lower back, the link between Lilith and I collapsed.

Memories of who, and what, I was came flooding back in a rush and I collapsed upon the floor, crushed by the immensity of the knowledge.

I remembered blowing the candles out upon a cake as people cheered me on. There had been six flames that had fluttered out.

I remembered as my father showed me the moon through a telescope. I had been fascinated, enraptured even, by the pale orb of dust that had dominated the night sky. I had been nine years of age.

I remembered my mother, singing a carol as I sat by the fireplace, eagerly awaiting a jolly, red-clothed man to bring me holiday cheer. I had been eleven then.

I remembered the endless years of school, those dreary days of early education blurring into one long, dull affair.

I remembered my father smiling and stroking the few hairs he dared to call a beard as I best him for the first time in a game of chess. He had been proud as only a father could be, perhaps even surpassing my own joy at finally defeating him. I had been fourteen at that time.

I remembered the soft press of a woman's lips as I received my first kiss at a school dance. I would never know more romance than that though. I had been fifteen then.

I remembered my mother, her lustrous, brown hair catching the light of the southern sun in the midst of June. I would leave her two weeks later, my destination set, but my future clouded in the oppressive fog of war that was to come. I would never see her again. I was eighteen years of age.

I remembered my brothers in arms, wild and unprepared for what was to come, but energized as only the youthful could be. The hours we spent drilling in that same, southern sun, now a murderously harsh eye of pure fury set in an endless blue sky. The impacts of barely padded fists as we had fought in mock battles to sharpen our skills. The brutal days of training that saw many fall to the wayside, their bodies weak and their wills shattered as they gave in. But, I never joined them. I pushed on with what brothers remained to me. That was what I had been taught by the world, even before the military had claimed me as another cog in its vast machine.

Never give up, and never surrender.

I remembered the day we had graduated. It had been a good day. My father had managed to attend. But, more importantly, were the brothers I had made. We swore oaths of loyalty to each other. Promises to protect each other, even to the bitter end. If only we had understood that the end was far closer than we had believed.

I remembered the first day of the war. I remember the rage, burning hot in my veins, as I hungered for action as the youthful so often do. The propaganda had made us hate our enemy; though we had never even met them. We had seen them as inhuman monsters, worthy of only death. If only I had known the face of a true monster, then perhaps I wouldn't have been so naive.

I remembered my first battle. An unassuming village in some piss poor, third-world country that was only a stepping stone for the greater war effort. Many had died there, far more than should have done so.

I remembered the first brother to die. Taken out in the first, frantic moments of an ambush by a stray round to the head. He had died, never even seeing his assailant. It had happened so quickly that we had been stunned for a moment. The training kicked in and we reacted. And that's how we found ourselves in our first, desperate firefight. We did as we had trained to do. We closed with and, eventually, destroyed the enemy.

I remembered my first kill. A young man, no different than I, with a rifle in hand, but with far less training. He had been scared, and I was close enough that I could could see the fear lurking in his eyes. That hadn't stopped me from pulling the trigger. The recoil had been no different than when I had shot on the range.

I remembered the next one. Another male, this one far older and made of sterner stuff. A squad leader I had thought then. A father to the young man before, I would find out later. All I remembered was the pain in his eyes as I ran him through with a bayonet. The squelch of his innards as they slopped messily onto the dust-caked ground. The blood, hot and fresh, that had coated my hands.

I remembered the one after that. A woman. She had known him. They had been married. All three had been a family. She had been a noncombatant, until she had picked up his weapon, vengeance in her eyes. I hadn't hesitated. A brother of mine had fallen, never to rise again. Where was his mercy on that day? I certainly didn't have it.

I remembered that the people we had engaged hadn't even been our true enemy. Just people, defending their homes from a supposedly hostile presence by organizing themselves into a decently armed militia. They hadn't been prepared for us at all. That hadn't stopped them from killing my brother. And it certainly didn't stop us from burning the village to the ground. No one had died in the flames. They hadn't lasted that long.

The village was the first horror of the real world that I would encounter. It wouldn't be the last.

I remembered the advance after that. Our army was inexhaustible, relentless in the path set by seasoned generals. Battle after battle, we ground ourselves down. Total victory or crushing defeat, it did not matter, for the price was always the same for both sides. The only difference was that my side was the richer and could more readily afford the devil's toll.

I remembered, as the months passed by, new brothers that rose to stand by my side. More brothers, male or female they were all brothers to me, that swore to stand with me. I made the same oaths to them as I had before. They didn't fail me, these brothers of mine. They always stood until the end; though I was always left standing alone. Time after time.

I remembered the deeds we performed, atrocities by any other name. The uncounted dead we left in our wake, enough to choke the streets with their bloated corpses, marked our progress across the blighted continent. None of us had cared though, not truly. It was war and, to us at least, it was only right that the weak perished. We didn't spare a thought for those we killed, after all, the less humans there were the more resources there were to go around. Any fool could understand that.

I remembered as the war ground on public support began to wane. Not from our brutal application of force or casual disregard for human life, but from our inability to secure a decisive victory. Because of the lack of support, our influx of new-blood slowed, and finally, stilled completely. The war began to drag as our momentum was lost, never to be regained. Battles began to end more often in stalemates. Supplies began to arrive late, if at all. Brothers that had fallen by the wayside were no longer replaced as easily.

I grew numb as the months turned to years. I cared less and less for the reasons we had once fought for. The ideals were no longer worth killing for, and certainly not worth dying for. The few brothers that had remained with me through the years began to fall. One by one, they crossed over, leaving me alone and stranded. I ceased making new promises with whoever was left. I no longer had brothers worth dying for.

I remembered the war eventually died. Not because a lack of participation, but of necessity. Neither side had the resources to sustain it any longer. The war had caused a resource deficit. The world, our home, was dying around us even as we died with it. The deserts were claiming what we hadn't already managed to burn to ash.

I remembered the day everything had changed too. The alternative energy resource that had been revealed just when the night had been the darkest. A true deus ex machina- magma energy. It was said to be cheap, easy to gather, and possessed unlimited potential.

We were fools to trust it.

I remembered not trusting it from the beginning. I wasn't as naive as I had been before the war, for I had been tempered and hardened by the years of death. I had mocked the new fuel at the time, as cynical as always. I knew that it was too good to be true. I just didn't understand how right I would be. I hated being right.

A long moment passed as I processed my past and the events that led me to this point in time. I recalled, with unusual clarity, how I had ended up bonded to an ancient bio-machine. Well, most of it.

+Are you okay, Samael?+ Lilith asked.

+I remember, Lilith, the time before. I remember the wars I fought. The endless tide of blood and death. The slow, creeping death of my- no, _our_ \- world. I remember your kind as well, rising from the depths to threaten my civilization. We named you Klaxosaurs. Your kind was the enemy to unite the entirety of my race. I was supposed to fight your kind one day.+

+Do you still wish to fight my kind?+

+Oddly enough, no. I feel no need to do so. I lived under a different name then, and I swore oaths under that name. But, those oaths were all fulfilled when that man died. I have a new name now, and a new oath. I won't break it, even if I have to go against the entirety of my species.+

+I did not assume any of your kind would ever hold themselves to such a promise. You are unusually honorable.+

+No. I'm not that honorable. I lived before, only carrying on because I swore to fight alongside my brothers. I never cared for the war that consumed the world. I didn't spare a thought for who was right or who was wrong. Only those that stood by my side were worth dying for. That is why I stand with you now. Because I promised to do so.+

+You promised under a veil of ignorance. I would say that voids your oath.+

\+ If you believe that, then you do not know me. Now, enough about my past. What do you remember?+

+All of it. My memories are mine and mine alone once more. My thoughts, my own. My emotions, my own. But, we can dwell on this success later. The key requires our attention.+

\+ Indeed. You are right, of course.+ Curious. She avoided talking about herself in any detail. Even after I opened up. Was she being purposely vague? Or was this rudeness just a stark difference between our cultures? I made a mental note to investigate further before continuing.

I strode forward, metal feet ringing loudly on the deck. I looked down, curious as to what the rest of my body looked like, and discovered that the rest of my skin was the same black, prickled material. More armor, like an insect's carapace, covered my vital areas without constraining my locomotion. How much of me was still human? I wondered idly as I stretched my limbs. I felt fine though, perhaps even better than I had ever felt. No fatigue, no bad joints, and no stressed muscles. Everything was working smoothly, at least for now.

I came to the edge of the cockpit and looked downwards at the key. It must have been a ten meter drop from where I stood. I had an inkling that my body would be fine. I decided a test was in order. Without preamble, I jumped the distance.

I landed against the outer hull of the key with a dull ring. I bent instinctively at the knees in order to compensate for the height of the drop; though that ultimately proved unnecessary. I felt no pain in any form. In fact, I barely felt anything from the impact. This body had limits, but they were undeniably higher than my old, completely human body. I looked forward to further testing.

I made my way across the hull, heading towards the key's head. It was the most obvious spot for a cockpit's location. I reached it easily, but ran into a rather mundane problem. There was no clear hatch to open. I looked around for an emergency exit. No luck.

I could see no other entrances. The only opening that was obvious was one that I would rather not try unless absolutely necessary. After a moment's hesitation though, it became clear such an option was the _only_ option.

\+ Lilith. I'm going to go down its throat. Could you pry open the jaws and keep them that way?+

\+ I cannot do so. Without you directly connected, I'm missing too much processing power to move on my own.+

\+ What? How?+ I looked up at Lilith's gigantic form. Sure enough, she hadn't moved. As still as a statue my sworn partner was.

\+ Without the additional processing power of your cerebral cortex, I am unable to handle the flow of signals required to operate my form. We have been linked for many years now, and I have grown too reliant upon your presence. It will take time for me to reestablish the connections required for individual movement. Time that we currently do not have. I'm sorry, but for now you are on your own, physically speaking.+

\+ How long will this period of immobility last?+

\+ It could take hours or even weeks. I don't know for certain. I need time to diagnose my current status. I cannot feel _anything_ below my neck at the moment. I don't even have visual access without you.+

+So, you're basically useless at this point. Understood. I'll have to be quick then. Begin self-diagnosis while I engage the key. We cannot waste any more time.+

\+ I'm not useless. I can still aid you in a supporting role. For instance, I receive a visual feed straight from your own eyes. But, that's not all. I can hear what you hear. I can smell what you smell. I can even feel anything you touch. With my help, your senses can be enhanced tenfold. You don't have to focus on such things either. I can handle the vast majority of the input and filter in what's relevant.+

\+ And you can do all of this while still reestablishing connections internally?+

\+ Of course. I may be missing your processing power, but my mind is still comparable to a super-computer in computational terms.+

\+ Very well, if you insist on supporting me, I won't argue the point. We are partners, after all. Also, you sound... different.+

\+ I _am_ different. And you are as well. We have our personalities back. We are no longer blank states.+

\+ That must be it.+ I conceded the point to her. Truth was, I _did_ feel different. I understood much about my role now. I understood why it was so easy to turn against my fellow man. But, these concerns were now all secondary to me. I had far more pressing matters to attend to. I had a promise to keep, after all.

The key's jaws were slightly open. Just enough to slip my surprising bulk between the jagged, steel teeth. I was far larger than I had been before. Almost comically so, and it felt a little awkward to maneuver into the mouth; though willingly slipping into oversized wolf-jaws was never going to be considered 'normal'.

Sure enough, there was an entrance within the mouth. Fantastic.

I gripped the handle and gave it a tug. Locked. I should have figured as much.

\+ Get closer. And lower.+ Lilith urged me from her place of observance, riding as a passenger within my mind. I did so, kneeling before the door.

One of the sensory tentacles unfurled itself, stretching to the door under Lilith's will alone. The off-white tentacles pressed against the metal. I could feel the cold, steel alloy as the tentacles gently eased their way in between the cracks, slipping through the microscopic gaps between pieces of metal. A slight tingling sensation spread through them as they meshed with the electrical circuits hidden within. The door opened with a hiss, allowing me to enter. I did so, the entrance so low it forced me to practically bend at the waist to enter.

The cockpit was simple and unadorned, at odds with the eccentric exterior. The area was bathed crimson in emergency lighting, spilling from a single source set directly above the room's only occupant. My attention shifted to this being. It was a girl that sat at the center of the cockpit, a tangle of red wires stretching from her head to the ceiling.

I moved closer. She didn't react. She must have been concussed, I assumed as I remembered the particularly large blow I had inflicted in our earlier fight. I moved even closer, peering at her face.

As I studied her, I realized something disturbing. The girl was young. Very young. Far too young to be piloting a war-machine. To my eyes, she was practically a child, unfit for the charnel house that was war.

Had all of those machines upon the surface been piloted by children like this? What tyrant had authorized the use of child-soldiers on such a scale? The awful questions had ugly answers, but I knew such horrors were fully capable of being realized by mankind.

She wore a red bodysuit, skintight and armorless. The thing would offer no protection whatsoever in a fight. It didn't even appear to have any sort of failsafes that a pilot's suit would have. Then again, it could be fireproof. Maybe it wasn't totally useless.

Her face was pale and beautiful, but twisted in anger. Her eyes were screwed shut, and so I was denied the opportunity to see the most distinguishing feature human faces offered. If it weren't for this mask of silent rage, she would have been far more aesthetically pleasing. Her hair appeared red in the harsh lighting, but I assumed it would be a light, platinum blonde in normal lighting. She painted a beautiful picture, but it was marred with whatever horrors afflicted this age of man.

My gaze turned towards the wires plugged into her temple. And then I noticed it. They weren't wires at all. Far from it. They were completely organic, and they sprouted from her temple like overgrown antlers, stretching in corral-like growths until they reached the ceiling. My hand moved idly to my own forehead, claws brushing against the iron-cased ports stationed there. The similarity couldn't have been mere coincidence. A brief memory flashed from my past as I recalled how I had obtained these crude implants. I had willingly accepted them as an improvement to my form.

Were these things upon her head their more advanced descendants? Was this how she piloted the machine? Some sort of biological control measure? And, if so, how did it work? The things had obviously grown _from_ her. Was she forever bonded to the machine as its pilot? A permanent piece, like some organic, internal processor? What sick mind had interred her within this metal coffin? My clawed hand curled in anger at such a callous treatment of a fellow human. I was mildly surprised I felt something like that.

\+ She is fine.+

\+ Are you reading my thoughts again?+

\+ Negative. Your adrenaline levels just spiked. You're entering a heightened level of aggression. It's obvious that the sight of this girl in such a state has enraged you. She is fine, I can assure you that.+

\+ You can see all of that taking place within me?+

\+ Yes. As I said before, I can easily monitor your body's vital signs. I can even influence them, if they become too wild for you to control. However, this is about her for now. She is fine, all you need to do is wake her.+

I moved, raising a hand to the organic structure. I intended to break the connection between her and the machine the old fashioned way.

\+ Gently. You can't just snap the bond. Such a sudden disconnect may cause a neural feedback and leave her consciousness within the machine. It would be nearly impossible to retrieve her at that point and her physical form would eventually calcify due to a metaphysical dislocation. That cannot be allowed to happen to her.+

\+ That last part is oddly specific, and I barely understood it. How do you know so much about this?+

+What do you think happened to me?+ She asked. I sensed dark emotions behind that admission. It must have been pretty tragic.

I didn't know what to say to her. What could I possibly say to someone that had gone through... whatever she had? I didn't even understand it. So, I moved on.

\+ How do I safely severe the connection?+

\+ The same way we connect. You'll have to merge into her consciousness. Don't worry, I'll be able to stay behind and pull you back if you need it. You won't get lost.+

That was... reassuring to me. It had been far too long since I had someone like that by my side. But, the skeptical side of my mind decided to remind me of all that she had hidden from me so far. Trust went both ways, after all. I couldn't allow myself to become dependent upon her. No one was permanent.

\+ Very well. I'm going in.+

I moved, and just like the door, I knelt to get in closer. The appendages from my neck slithered past my head, their ends flaring with writhing, ghost-white tentacles. They wrapped themselves around the red structure, sinking into it and taking on the same, blood-red hue.

I took a deep breath and plunged into another's mind.

* * *

A score of Franxxs moved across the blasted battlefield, thrusters screaming with the effort to keep them mobile after hours of heavy use. Their magma-weaponry glinted in what little light that managed to penetrate the ever-present cloud of dust. The field had been set upon by thick clots of dust and ash, afflicted as all battlefields tended to be after two armies clashed.

This was the last, and largest, group of war-machines that were still active upon the plains. All the others were dead or otherwise fleeing, hidden safely within whatever plantation's auxiliary hanger was available. Thanks to one individual in particular, many of these groups had already made it to safety.

Each machine was built to an exact standard, outfitted in the same manner as its comrades. Only code designations, etched onto shoulders in large, Arabic numerals existed in order to distinguish individual units. The only exception to this rule of conformity was the lead Franxx, marble-white armor trimmed with streaks the same blue as the pollution-free skies of old earth.

Delphinium sped across the plains, a broken blade clutched in one hand and a reclaimed spear in the other. Neither weapon was in decent shape, the blades nicked and dented from heavy fighting. Her thrusters stuttered with every burst, struggling to breath through the particle-dense air. Long scratches stretched across armor plates, ruining what beauty she had once possessed. One particularly dangerous swipe from a hooked Klaxo-claw had slashed across her face. The blow had been largely superficial thanks to a well-timed dodge, but the digital face now glitched and fizzed with static, unable to maintain a steady image. For all the battle damage done though, Delphinium was in far better shape than most of the Franxxs, and for that Ichigo counted herself fortunate.

They were finally nearing Plantation 67, the last fortress city near the Gran Crevasse and most likely place to offer them a safe haven. Squads of mismatched parasites had formed a demi-company under her leadership, trusting her to guide them to safety. And so far, she had managed to do so. Not all parasites had been fortunate enough to have been found. Some parasites had been overwhelmed before she could reach them. Their screams across the net would haunt her for the rest of her life.

"Ichigo," Goro's voice intruded upon her melancholic thoughts. "We're approaching the fallback point. You did it. You actually managed to save them all." His voice was filled with nothing but admiration for her, but she couldn't bring herself to feel joy at them offered praise. She felt unworthy. She felt like a failure.

How many parasites had she left behind? How many had never been found at all? She knew the answer: too many. Far too many.

"No. Not yet. We have a bit more to go." She replied to her partner. She switched over to the wider net, broadcasting to those that followed her in their ragged formation. "Alright, listen up everyone. We're not out of the woods yet. Keep your eyes peeled and your thrusters hot. Be on guard. I'm not losing anyone in the final stretch of this."

No sooner had she warned them then the ambush was triggered.

The ground before them shivered, shaken by something truly massive below. And then it burst upwards, a trio of black horns pierced through the earth followed by a wedge-shaped head. The Klaxosaur roared as it was birthed unto the battlefield.

The parasites reacted immediately, dividing into two groups with a well-disciplined practice. One team, led by Ichigo herself, moved to the right flank. The other team, led by 49A no less, swerved to the left. Each group leveled their pole arms, warding against the giant as it shook its way free of the earth. It roared again; though this time was from pain as four energized blades speared it from the sides. The bearers of the harpoons braced themselves, chaining the monster down as a trio of their comrades rose above the beast, ascending on coughing thrusters. One Franxx faltered mid-air, their thrusters catching fire as they overheated. They peeled off from the attack and let the other two descend, magma-spearheads sinking into the Klaxosaur's flesh. One managed to find the core, ending the beast's struggles.

The group moved on, leaving a giant's corpse in their wake. But, they weren't free just yet. The Klaxosaurs, like the monstrous hydra of myth, had many heads.

From below the Klaxosaur's corpse came another disturbance. The carcass shuddered as it was pushed up and to the side by something far larger. Something emerged. Something truly worthy of the word _titanic_.

The head alone was the size of a large Moho-class, and resembled the beak found on a raptor. The tubular body, sheathed in reptilian-scales, followed close behind, displacing thousands of tonnes of earth as the monster clawed its way free from below. Its arms were long and carried too many joints. Its hands were gnarled like old wood and the fingers curled in upon themselves; the digits disturbingly similar to the type one would find on a human hand. The Gutenberg pushed off the ground with its knuckles, rising high above the battlefield, rivaling even a plantation in height, and freeing two equally long legs. These were simple trunks of thick matter, possessing only a single joint and no ankles or feet to call their own. Hooked tentacles sprouted from beneath its body, writhing of their own accord as they hungrily sought prey. It opened its oversized beak and bellowed, the world trembling at the sound of a titan's voice.

The comm net flared with an unnecessary warning from an overexcited stamen. "We got incoming!"

Yes, Ichigo could see that. The thing was absolutely massive, but it didn't appear all too dangerous, especially since they had put some distance between it and them as it had crawled forth.

The beast took its first step, and she saw how wrong she had been.

The front arm stretched, covering the vast distance the group had managed to cover since its arrival. The gnarled fist slammed into the ground, crushing an unlucky Franxx beneath it. Franxx 73B, piloted by parasites 799 and 828, went red upon her display, a piercing flatline playing for a long, bitter moment. The name went black as the sound ended.

"Get clear! Watch your six and get to Plantation 67. **Now**!" She gave the order, not caring if anyone heard the sudden fear in her voice. They couldn't fight this, not now. Delphinium was barely holding together as it was, not to mention their dangerously low fuel supply. Their situation wasn't exclusive within the group of survivors either.

Goro pushed Delphinium, their thrusters screaming harder every second. He prayed to Papa that they wouldn't explode.

The Gutenberg followed in pursuit, almost lazily stalking forward. Another humongous hand crashed down, and then suddenly the monster's body was above them, its massively bloated body blocking what meager sunlight there was. The tentacles whipped about, eagerly seeking prey. With such a density of targets below they didn't miss for long.

One Franxx was speared completely through, their chassis practically disintegrating from the force behind the tentacle. The appendage raised itself upwards, dragging the skewered machine to the beak hanging wide open. Ichigo turned away before she could see what happened next; though she could well imagine as the stamen screamed across the net until his very last. Another flatline played out, replacing the voice with a finality that made her wince.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. She told herself there was nothing she could have done. Even she knew it was a flimsy lie.

She realized they were traveling at the very front of the group. Despite all of the damage, Delphinium was still the most advanced Franxx upon the field. She forced her machine into a sudden stop and turned to face her comrades. She urged them to pass her. "Come on! Hurry up!" She waved Delphinium's hand in the air, as if she could sweep them into the safe zone through hand movements alone. "Move it! Move it! **Move it**!"

Franxxs moved past her, hurrying to outrun the Gutenberg and its questing tentacles. Another Franxx was snatched up, a tentacle wrapping tightly about their legs. "Like hell, you miserable bastard." Ichigo whispered.

Delphinium changed the grip upon her spear and leaned back, and with a wordless cry borne from both parasites, hurled the spear with all her mechanical might. It was a throw that would not have shamed a Spartan of ancient times.

The spear slammed into the Gutenberg's eye, the blade burning straight through the ocular organ nestled there. The beast dropped the Franxx as its tentacles writhed about in agony, one reaching up and curling around the shaft of the projectile. With a pained shudder it pulled, freeing the spear in a tide of off-colored ichor. The Gutenberg sighted in upon Delphinium, its remaining eye narrowing with what could only be contempt.

"Uh, Ichigo. I think that worked a little too well..."

"Y-yeah, we should go. Now." Ichigo agreed with her partner as she turned Delphinium towards the plantation. Their thrusters screamed into life once more as Goro dumped whatever fuel they had remaining into them. The scream reached a fever pitch- and then the thrusters exploded. Fire and black smoke belched from the ruined clusters about their waist.

"Oh. Shit." Ichigo cursed with little enthusiasm. That wasn't good. Not at all. They were done for without the propulsion system. Completely exposed without that maneuverability.

Was this how it ended? Was this how her life would end: crippled by a malfunctioning thruster just on the verge of safety? The cruelty of fate was palpable. How close they had been...

Delphinium sank to her knees, unable to move now that her thrusters were done for. Her leg had long since been shattered as well, and she possessed no other form of movement. Delphinium was a hobbled wreck, completely at the mercy of a monster.

Ichigo looked up, sighting through Delphinium's eyes as she watched the last of the Franxxs reach the safe zone provided by the plantation's massive weapon systems. So many had made it to safety, but even she knew it was but a fraction of the parasites that had first stepped upon the field this morning. But, at least a few had managed to survive this disaster.

She barely managed to turn Delphinium towards the Gutenberg in time. A tentacle was already whipping towards them. The force behind it would be enormous; more than enough to shatter Delphinium's nanomagnesium alloy based frame and obliterate the fragile bodies of Goro and her within.

Time seemed to slow down to her as she watched her end come ever closer and the moment of her inevitable death seemed to stretch into near-infinity. She could have thought about anything in those final moments as her adrenaline flooded system dragged out the moment.

She could have thought about Hiro, imagining herself in his protective embrace as the final blow came. What a way that would have been to die. It would have brought a smile to her face, a tear to her eye, and a whisper of his name from her lips before her body was obliterated. But, she didn't think of him.

She could have thought about Goro and the conflicting emotions she had for him. Of course, she knew Goro's thoughts on her, but she didn't fully understand her own thoughts in the same way he did. Perhaps, if she had pondered upon it in her final moments, she would have realized that Goro wasn't all too different from herself. But, Goro was far from her final thoughts.

She could have even thought about her friend, Ikuno, and how lonely she would be without her. She would wish she had time to say one last goodbye to her dear friend. The quiet girl was one of her closest friends, in fact she may have even been her _best_ friend. If Ichigo had thought about her though she would have been crushed as she realized that she was Ikuno's _only_ friend, and therefore her death would be devastating to her and cause her much emotional pain. She would have snapped back into reality at the final moment, lurching away from the blow and surviving for a few more moments, if only in a vein hope that Ikuno wouldn't be robbed of her sole friend. But, the girl never even crossed her mind.

None of those thoughts went through her head in those final moments. Instead, an all-together different thought traveled through her mind.

 _Why_? Why did so many have to _die_? What could possibly be worth so much _death_?

Her last thoughts were foul, and left a sour taste within her mind in those final, desperate moments. But, as it turned out, they were not her last thoughts.

A Franxx, standard grey and as unadorned as any other, flashed into view, landing before the descending tentacle. They braced, spear held before them, and the tentacle crashed into them. The Franxx was thrown aside, spiralling away and crashing onto the ground in a heap of shattered metal and twisted limbs.

"What... who...?" Goro whispered as he realized they still lived.

"No... it can't be..." Ichigo trailed off as her vision swam with the Franxx's alphanumeric designation: 49A.

49A wasn't dead, despite the immense damage done. Using their spear for support, they struggled to rise. Their legs were shattered, wrenched into awkward angles. But, they still managed to stand tall. The net crackled with the sound of the pistil speaking. Her voice was prideful, but filled with pain. "Delphinium, get clear. We'll handle this one."

Ichigo heard the words, but it took a moment for her to realize their importance. The pistil didn't plan to survive. "What?! **NO**! Stand down, Code 189! That's an _order_!"

She moved Delphinium to intercept. The machine struggled to obey her will, but it was a hollow reflection of what it had been that morning. They fell forward onto their hands and knees, the mud staining the battle-scarred marble.

Ichigo watched helplessly alongside Goro as 49A raised their spear defiantly. She screamed across the net once more, demanding their retreat upon her authority as a company commander.

49A disobeyed.

The Gutenberg switched its attention to 49A. A titan of bio-mechanical flesh, forged in a lost age of horrors, reared its ugly head above a stubborn, ragged knight. It screamed as its tentacles whipped into a frenzy. The appendages struck the ground in a chaotic assault, churning up the earth in great clouds of dust.

49A ignored the tentacles. Their jets engaging moments before the insane thrashing, and they hurtled upwards to meet the monster on their terms. The machine sailed past, carving a deep wound with their spear as they passed by the head. Pivoting in mid-air, they fired the spear like a harpoon, the blade digging into the Klaxosaur's back. Their momentum arrested itself just before they hit the auto-retract, pulling their Franxx back down.

Ichigo watched with tears in her eyes, unable to do more than stand idly by as the Franxx before her fought to the last. She felt metal hands reach beneath Delphinium's arms, lifting her mount and hauling them towards the safe zone. She pulled forwards, writhing in their grip. Another arm wrapped around Delphinium's waist, pulling them back with even greater force. "NO! LET ME GO! I WON'T LET THEM DIE!" She screamed at the hands hauling her away. Once again, her orders fell on deaf ears. All she could do was continue to watch the fool. That damned, heroic fool.

49A swerved to avoid a swipe from a tentacle. The Gutenberg bucked, trying to throw its assailant off its back. 49A wouldn't relent and stabbed their spear downwards between the plates of armor, sinking into flesh. The creature howled once more, and they plunged their spear deeper.

A dozen tentacles came from every direction. 49A cut one down, and then another. And another. But there were far too many to effectively hold off. One slipped through their defense and wrapped tightly about their leg. A second found their wrists, binding them together. A third encircled around their cockpit. The Franxx was lifted away.

Ichigo screamed once more, her voice shrieking across the net. The other parasites muted her. They still wouldn't let her go.

49A was brought to the Gutenberg's mouth. The beak opened wide, and the Franxx was tossed in without ceremony. The beak snapped shut, the machine disappearing within that dark void.

It was seven seconds later that the magma-reactor overloaded in a flash of light to momentarily eclipse the weak sun of that day. Half of the Gutenberg simply disappeared with the appearance of the second sun. Its creation had been the stamen's final act before the cockpit had been crushed.

Ichigo screamed as tears streamed down her face. She wouldn't stop screaming until they dragged Delphinium into the auxiliary hanger. She didn't stop crying until she fell asleep in Goro's arms, exhausted beyond measure.

The medical team would find them three minutes after that.

* * *

She was running. She was always running. It never mattered though, not truly. No matter how far, no matter how fast, they were always hot on her heels. They never stopped.

The monsters were coming for her.

The wind howled, the chill it carried biting bone-deep in an instant. She cried out, but her voice was stolen by the cruel winds. The cold seeped deeper, and she pulled the sorry excuse for a robe about her frame tighter, for all the good it did her. She shivered, alone and afraid in the frozen forest. She heard more howling, but this was not the wind.

The monsters were coming for her.

She kept her head down and trudged through the ever-increasing layers of snow. It was past her knees, and it was a monumental effort to carve her way through it all. She couldn't stop. She had to run, even if what she was doing wasn't worthy of the name anymore. It didn't matter though, all that mattered was that she didn't stop. They would never stop.

The monsters were coming for her.

The wind lapsed for a moment and she felt confident enough to lift her head. She knew where this was. There was a mistletoe tree before her. It stood tall, but utterly alone within a clearing. Its trunk was old and gnarled, and suitably strong given its age. But, this wasn't just any mistletoe. This was _the_ mistletoe. The tree that she and him had found shelter beneath all those years ago. The tree, in whose great shadow they had sworn themselves to each other until the end of time.

Another howl sounded, and with it a dozen followed as they became a chorus of madness. There were many voices now. And they were closing in.

The monsters were coming for her.

The memory of the time she had spent beneath this tree was precious to her. It's why she always returned. In some vain hope that he,- her darling, her prince, her sworn love- would be here, waiting. He never was. She didn't blame him. She _couldn't_ blame him. Why would a man wait for a monster?

The chorus of howls sounded once more. They were so close now. It wouldn't be long.

The monsters were coming for her.

She took several, trembling steps into the clearing. She came to a halt before the great tree. It was reassuring to be near it. She collapsed as she finally gave in, exhausted mentally as well as physically. The monsters would find her soon enough. And with no one waiting for her beneath the tree, she had no reason to hide from them any longer. After all, they were coming to claim her as one of their own. This is how it always ended. And so, she awaited them in the shadow of a great tree, unwilling to continue the chase.

The monsters never arrived.

She sensed something was wrong when the howls ceased, where moments before they had been singing nonstop. That wasn't right. They _never_ stopped. She turned, curiosity overcoming her fatalism. What she saw froze her heart. It was the silhouette of a man, hazy and indistinct, standing along the path she had just traveled.

He... had come? He had come?! He had come! Her _darling_ had come for her! She surged to her feet, trudging back the way she had come as fresh energy surged through her tired limbs, and reached out to the figure. At long last, he had come! Her heart was leaping with joy- until every instinct she had screamed at her to stop. She did so, and felt a chill that was not caused by the environment. She pulled her crimson-skinned arm back, wary of the silhouette now. Something felt... off about the figure before her. The wind had ceased, but the snow still continued to fall, the heavy particles occluding her vision. She leaned in closer, despite her instincts telling her to run, in order to better study the figure.

The silhouette was large. Very large. Far too large to even be an adult human. And, there was a pervasive _wrongness_ to it, like it shouldn't exist at all. It was standing as still as a statue, but she could have sworn it hadn't been there when she had entered the clearing. Perhaps, it did not truly exist. What if it was merely a fragment of her imagination?

Her sense of unease magnified as she noticed what lay _beyond_ the figure. Dozens of creatures, ranging in size and shape, awaited silently mere meters behind the silhouette. They were onyx and midnight statues shaped in mocking imitation of terrestrial life. Mismatched limbs supported bulbous bodies of grotesque proportions. Sets of beady, sapphire eyes swiveled within cracks of black armor. Claws clacked loudly together in the bitter air. Talons snapped idly upon the frozen ground. Jaws, packed with rows of dagger-teeth, drooled copious amounts of saliva. But, not one rushed her. Not one made any sound akin to a howl. They seemed content to stay behind the figure. Or, they were _afraid_ of passing it.

Everything changed when two crimson drops of blood burst into life upon the shadow. It began to move, advancing towards her with a stoic determination. Each step of the figure's legs were measured and strong, completely unphased by the heavy snows before it.

She backed away, her very soul recoiling with horror at this spectre. Was this her retribution? Was this the incarnation of her sins, come to finally claim her and drag her down to hell? She would have believed it if it were so, even before it reached a clawed hand out to her, the edges gleaming through the snowfall.

She stumbled, a protruding root making its presence known, and she fell backwards. The snow instantly soaked through her robe and she shivered; though it had nothing to do with the cold. She was afraid. For the first time in her life, Code 002 was afraid of another being.

The figure lunged forward, its bulk no impediment to its agility, and the hand clasped tightly around her throat. She was jerked into close proximity, so near to it that she could smell the monster's breath, hot and heavy, like rotting meat long past its prime. Oddly enough, she could still make nothing out of its facial features. Only two bloody orbs existed upon that empty face.

The figure spoke, its voice so harsh it could have come straight from a corpse.

"It's time to awaken, little one."

* * *

Her eyes flashed wide as she gasped aloud. Her heart was set racing and she greedily sucked in several lungfuls worth of air. Instinctively, her hands flew to her throat.

Nothing. There was nothing there. No bruised flesh or fresh wound. And no monstrous claw tightening around it. Of course, there shouldn't have been one. She breathed out a sigh of relief. It was just a dream. 'Vision' was probably the more accurate term as she hadn't been sleeping. Not in the true sense of the word.

An electronic hum thrummed through the air as the Franxx's internal system registered her disconnection and came to life. The ventilation system activated, pumping in new, but incredibly stale, air. The crimson emergency lighting winked off, replaced by a glaring white spotlight just above her. The shadows at the edge of the cockpit deepened.

"Interesting. What a pretty color..."

The voice came from behind her. She whirled around, still bound within her cradle, and sought the source. Her blood froze in her veins. Her heart rate immediately spiked. What she saw was impossible.

There, lurking within the shadows, was the figure from her vision. Just as indistinct and unknowable, only two piercing points of crimson acting as a focus point.

Impossible.

She blinked. It stayed. She blinked again. It stayed.

It hit her then, that this was no vision. This was _real_. There was someone- no, _something_ standing in her cockpit.

"W-who are you?" She managed to keep her voice level. Barely.

The figure didn't move. It didn't even blink its murderous, red eyes. But, it did speak once more. Its voice was deep, rolling like thunder throughout the cockpit. Completely unlike the harsh voice within her vision.

"Your hair. It's pink. I wasn't expecting that. I assumed it was blonde."

Her fear, such as it was, drained away slowly as she realized the figure wasn't actively hostile. If anything, he- for it was surely male- sounded curious more than anything. She regained her composure quickly. She wouldn't be intimidated by this intruder.

"Who are you?" She asked in a more confident tone. Once again, her question was ignored.

"Is your hair dyed?" The question caught her off guard. What did her hair have to do with anything?

"Dyed? No. It's natural, at least for one of kind." She replied awkwardly. She wasn't human. She could never forget that. She would _never_ be human.

"How interesting... what exactly _is_ one of your kind?" He asked innocently enough. The question was still a hard one for her to answer.

She broke eye contact with him suddenly. She glanced at the deck, shame welling up within her as she was forced to recall what she had done. The awful sins she had committed against her beloved coming to the fore of her thoughts. And not only him, but his friends as well, all of whom were like a family to him. How could he ever forgive her for what she had done to them? He couldn't. He wouldn't. He shouldn't even have to. She didn't blame him in the slightest for casting her out. The fault lay entirely with her. He was right. She _was_ a monster.

"I'm a monster...," she muttered.

"A monster? Curious. Why would you believe that?"

She looked back to him. Their eyes met. Crimson eyes, like fat drops of arterial blood, bore into her own. "Isn't it obvious? I'm not human."

For a long moment, neither of them spoke. The silence was astoundingly oppressive as it stretched out. She realized why it was so quiet. The intruder wasn't breathing. He was utterly silent, as if he wasn't really there.

She narrowed her eyes at him as a thought slipped into her head. Maybe, just maybe, he wasn't _actually_ real. He gave off no sound other than his speech. And she couldn't make out any details, despite her dark-vision being far more acute than a human's. Most perplexing to her though was his scent, or rather the lack of. All she could sense with her overdeveloped olfactory glands was the overwhelming scent of different metals. The distinct hint of iron being one of the strongest, but that was normal within a Franxx. Perhaps, the figure before her was an illusion created purely by her mind. It certainly wasn't out of the question. As she pondered this, he spoke again.

"And you think that qualifies you as a monster?"

"Of course it does. What else would I be?" She replied a little too quickly.

"You look like a normal girl to me."

She couldn't tell if he was mocking her or not. "Does a 'normal' girl have these?" She pointed two fingers to the broken stubs that were her horns. They would grow back, of course. They _always_ grew back, no matter how short she clipped them.

"I suppose not. What difference do those truly make?" He seemed genuinely confused.

Her horns were the ever-present, and painfully obvious, reminder of her tainted origin. They were always the first thing others noticed. The first thing they associated her with. She was the girl with horns on her head, and Klaxosaur blood in her veins. She could never escape it. Only one soul had ever looked past those differences to the girl beneath, and he had very nearly died because of it. Because of _her_ _._ And now, this man was asking why such things would even matter.

"They make _all_ the difference. No human has horns. Only monsters have horns..."

"Is that what you believe, little one?"

"It's what I _know_." She replied defensively. She hated how he called her 'little one', as if he were somehow more advanced than her. She had already convinced herself that he was a mere figment of her imagination, created to... well, she wasn't really sure why her mind would do such a thing in the first place.

"And, what do you know of such things? What do you know of being human?" The illusion asked.

She was tired of these games. She had received no straight answer the entire time, simply going back and forth. If this truly was a hallucination, then she was arguing with herself. Was her mind trying to make her arrive at some sort of epiphany? Or had she gone insane? She was beginning to suspect it was the latter.

"I know what it means to be human; though it cost me everything I loved to finally learn that lesson. And I realized that being human wasn't for me." She went on the offensive for the first time. "Besides, what would you know about being a monster? You're probably not even real, just some hallucination of my mind." There. She said it.

"What do I know of being a monster?" A whining sound pierced the air for a brief moment before ascending out of range of normal hearing, even for her. She felt her teeth begin to tingle, set on edge by the sudden, intense build up of electricity in the local area. Soft, blue lights hummed to life upon the illusion, providing just enough illumination for her to make out sketchy details of him. Muted mechanical groans came from the intruder as he grew in size, his form stretching ever upwards until he was forced to stoop so he would avoid bumping the ceiling. She realized that he had been crouching or kneeling until that moment and that his true size must have far exceeded two meters in height. His frame was bulked out, the silhouette wider than any adult male's she had ever seen. Suddenly, the cockpit felt very small.

"I know about being a monster...," he took a single, ponderous step that rang throughout the enclosed area. He leaned forward and into the light, allowing her to see his face fully for the first time, "...because I _am_ a monster."

The illusion was incorrect in that statement. It wasn't a monster. It was a _nightmare_ , formed and shaped by her darkest, most personal fears.

The creature before her could have been handsome, in another life. His bone structure was near perfect, at least in terms of organic aesthetics. High cheekbones coupled with a wide, sturdy chin lent him a noble bearing. However, his skin was grotesquely tight, as if it were leather stretched across a mannequin. The flesh was so pale it was nearly translucent, as if the sun's kiss had never touched him. A hairless scalp shone in the light cast from above, several heavy scars marring the otherwise unbroken smoothness. His cheeks were sunken in, like they had been carved straight from marble. And where there should have been a nose there was instead only two vertical slits, drilled through into his skull like twinned bullet holes. Ancient scars crawled the length and breadth of his face, contorting and twisting like maggots beneath the skin of a corpse.

She recoiled in shock from the mere sight of him. Her instinctive reaction caused him to grin, setting the patchwork of scar tissue writhing across his face. She counted far too many teeth in that grin, each one sharpened to a deadly fine point; though she could not tell if such things had come about artificially or naturally. The smile didn't reach his eyes; beady black things with blood-red irises that held nothing within them, but saw everything that passed before them. Like a predator's gaze.

What drew her attention the most however were not his hellish eyes nor his shark-like teeth. Not even the wretched state of his flesh was cause enough to draw such a strong reaction from her. When she stayed silent, he spoke.

"I see that my appearance has caused you some... discomfort. I offer my sincerest apologies." Watching his face twist as he spoke was a terrifying experience. Every facial muscle that pulled beneath his skin sent his scars writhing like worms beneath the skin. But, that was not the cause for her silence. She was silent because of his _horns_.

They were crude, studded things that stabbed forth from his temple. The skin around them was cracked and dry, black veins throbbing angrily just beneath the veil of scarred skin. Despite their clearly artificial nature, and an archaic design at that, they were undeniably horns.

"W-who are you?" She whispered, her focus utterly upon his horns. So like hers. So _very_ much like hers.

Surely, this was her mind playing a trick on her? Her deepest fears had been realized, manifesting in the flesh before her. The illusion was too much like a cracked reflection of her, a twisted parody of what she could become if she ever fully abandoned her humanity.

He leaned back, letting the shadows swallow his garish features once more. "Allow me to formally introduce myself. I am known as Samael. What are you known as, little one?"

His proclamation shocked her into silence with a sudden realization. This was _not_ a hallucination. It couldn't be. Her mind couldn't possibly fabricate an illusion upon this scale. It was too intricate. Too _real_.

Ultimately, it was his name that had caused her to accept him as reality. His name was Samael, and that meant nothing to her. She had never heard it before. She had never even thought that it could be a name. It was too foreign for her to even comprehend. It was too... _human_.

As her mind processed this conclusion, Samael watched from the shadows. His crimson gaze never wavering from where she sat. After a long moment of silence, she answered his question.

"I'm called...," she hesitated. What name should she give? She wished she could call herself 02, but, after what happened... did she even deserve that name? It was given to her by him. It held such value in her heart and it was her most treasured valuable. It was her's and her's alone, and he had _given_ it to her. No one could ever take that away, not even Papa possessed that power. No one, that is, except for herself.

"I'm called... Code 002." That hurt. That hurt a lot to call herself that. Not as much as claiming to be 9 Iota, that awful name bestowed upon her by Papa, but still...

He began to pace within the shadows, his red eyes bouncing lightly with every step. She tracked his form, lit as it was by two crimson suns and numerous, blue running lights, like stars shining in the dead of night. It was like watching a constellation come to life.

"Code 002? That is not a name. That is a designation."

"So what if it is? It's what I'm called and you asked for it. What do you even care?" She replied defensively.

She heard him sigh, a low rumble that vibrated the very air. He changed directions, stalking back the way he had come. He managed to never remove his eyes from her for a single moment. So far, he had yet to blink once. "A name is a precious thing, little one. It is the first thing you are given in this world, and you will always carry it with you for it is your's and your's alone. It imbues us with a sense of self and bolsters our pride. It empowers us and legitimizes our actions. It becomes synonymous with our deeds and achievements. However, it is a sword that cuts both ways for just as it legitimizes every decision we make, so to does it bind us to those actions and holds us accountable. That is why I care about your name. That is why I ask my question once more."

He finally paused in his movements as he awaited patiently for her reply. She had only the same answer to give him.

"I am Code 002."

He snorted loudly. It sounded closer to an engine revving to life than it did to anything a human could produce. "Very well, Code 002. If that is truly your name, then I cannot deny it." He resumed his pacing, solid thuds upon the deck marking his movements. She could feel his heavy tread shake the deck through her cradle.

"I have a question. Will you answer it, Code 002?"

She didn't acknowledge him. She simply stared.

"Your comrades upon the surface. Are they all like you? Are they all... children?" His tone softened. It sounded almost... sad. It was difficult to imagine what expression his twisted face would have contorted into in order to express such an emotion. Assuming he was capable of such an emotion.

"Yes. They are all children. All parasites are." Code 002 answered. She saw no reason to hide such information from him.

For the first time, his eyes left her. They peered into the darkness, lost in thought. "Hmm. That is most regrettable then. I thought that..." he trailed off, acting as if she wasn't there. Her eyes moved to the open hatch. For the first time since she had awoken, she had a chance to flee. And yet, she didn't take the chance. She simply didn't feel the need. This 'Samael' was undeniably dangerous, but she didn't feel in danger. In fact, she felt _safe_ in his presence. It was... odd.

"-never changes." He mumbled, his voice almost inaudible. His eyes snapped back to her suddenly, affixing her with that murderous glare. "Who commands your loyalty?"

"What?" She was taken back by the question.

"Your loyalty. Where do you place it? A child cannot pilot such a machine on their own. A craft such as this requires massive logistical support. It's obvious you serve an organization of some sort. And any organization run by man would have a chain of command. Who stands at the very top of yours?" His tone was suddenly intense and passionate. Gone was the casual, almost familiar way he had been conversing with her. "Who bound you to this machine? Who commands the army of machines above? Who sent you all to _die_?!" He almost snarled the last question. Was he... was he angry?

Anger was far easier to imagine upon that face. But, she wasn't sure why it would even be there in the first place. What could he even be angry about? Was he really so concerned by the fact that only children piloted Franxxs? Before she could even answer his question, let alone ask any of her own, he turned away.

"Are you sure?" She heard him whisper to the darkness. She held her tongue, curious as to what he was doing. Was there more than one intruder in her Franxx? She heard him curse below his breath, grumbling about 'not enough time,' or something to that nature.

He turned abruptly, marching to the open hatch. His body was animated, his movements quick and clean. He stopped at the open threshold, turning those crimson jewels upon her once more. "I apologize for my sudden departure, but I have urgent business to attend to. I will return when I am able." He turned his back on her and she heard him mutter. "It won't be long."

"Wait!" Before she knew what she was doing she was moving out of her cradle. She crossed the space between them, coming to a stop just behind him. "Where are you going? What's happening? Answer me!"

He stopped his sudden departure, but he did not turn to face her. "It would seem that your comrades are coming to take you back." His voice was somber, as if he dreaded the words which spilled from his mouth. "I cannot allow that to happen."

Her eyes widened. No, it couldn't be. There couldn't be a rescue mission on the way. No one would risk their lives for her. No human would ever lift a hand to help her. No human except for-

" **NO**! You can't!" Except for her _darling_.

"I can't?" He finally turned to look at her. It was like a switch had been flipped. Hostility radiated out from him as his form seemed to swell with power. " _I_ _can't?_ _!_ You presume too much, little one. I am fully capable of doing what needs to be done." He took a single, ponderous step forward and his presence became a tidal wave of unstoppable force. She backed off, retreating just like she had in her vision when they had first met. "I saw into your mind. I know that you believe you are a monster because of your inhumanity, but that couldn't be further from the truth. The truth is that you don't even understand what a monster really is. Would you like a word of advice, little one? There are _no_ monstrous creatures in this world. There are _no_ nightmares that stalk the shadows. There are _no_ demons waiting to drag your soul down to the depths of hell. The only true monsters in this world are the ones that lurk just beneath the flesh of man, waiting to be unleashed. Humans are the most vile, wretched creatures in existence, for every one of our kind has the capability to commit such atrocities that even the devil himself would weep were he to bear witness to them. To willingly abandon every shred of sanity and rationality in the awful pursuit of our sinful ambitions. When that happens, the person truly loses what it means to be a human. Take me for example, for I long ago cast my humanity willfully aside in the naive belief that I could bring peace to our species through the liberal application of violence. If a monster is a being capable of committing any sin, no matter how vile or debased, and doing it without regret or hesitation then I am a monster in the truest sense, because I have steeped my soul in sin and drenched my psyche in crimson so thoroughly that I will never be able to wash it away. Redemption is not an option for a creature such as I, nor does this bother me."

She continued to back up as he advanced, eventually bumping into the cradle. The thought of fighting him didn't even cross her mind. He _dominated_ the enclosed area with his sheer presence. She regretted not taking the chance to flee when it had been available.

He leaned down, a clawed hand reaching out to her. He pointed at her with a single, sharpened digit. His breath was just like the vision. Hot and heavy with the raw stench of iron pervading it. Somewhere within him, somewhere deep inside that monstrous, inhuman form, something was bleeding. She dearly hoped it was hurting him. "That is why I name myself a monster, not because of my twisted body, although it is rather fitting now, but because I knew what I was doing all those years ago was wrong and I didn't care enough to stop. And now I am damned for it. And you dare to say I _can't_ do what is necessary? You dare to believe I won't sin again and again and again until whatever is left of my miserable soul is black with self-loathing? Know this, Code 002. I am sworn to walk a treacherous path and no matter what obstacle I face I will remove it, whether that be your friends or otherwise. I will not yield nor hesitate to do what needs to be done, for what is one more sin to me? Think on that while you await my return, little one. Think on what actions I am capable of." His words hit her like a Gutenberg, but it was his eyes that betrayed his true nature. She had never seen such depthless hatred, such raw malice within a living being before. A man with eyes like that was truly capable of any action, no matter how vile the nature of it.

"When you return?! I know what you're going to do! You think I'll just stand idly by and let you slaughter my dar- my comrades?" She hissed up at him.

"Yes, I do. And do you know why? Because you still care about their safety. I sensed such shame within you when I peeked into your mind; though I do not the cause for it. I assume you must have done _something_ to someone you care about. Something that you believe is so horrible that you can never be forgiven. Your entire consciousness is weighed down by it, darkening your thoughts and poisoning your emotions. You know what that means, right? It means you're still capable of feeling something- _anything-_ for someone else. It means you're still a human underneath all of your physical differences. It means you're still _weak_ , incapable of doing what needs to be done." He snarled, his face twisting with contempt.

She pushed off the cradle slowly, the insult having struck a chord within her. She was done being intimidated. Defiantly, she stood as tall as she could, lifting her gaze to meet his. She was painfully aware of their size difference. She didn't even reach the center of his chest. "I am _not_ weak." She declared in a tone that invited no argument.

He grunted, sneering down at her as he spoke. "Then take up arms against me after I leave. I dare you. Prove to me you aren't weak. Prove to me you can abandon what makes you human, for I assure you that is the only way you will ever stand a chance. However, do keep in mind that if you take up arms against me then I cannot guarantee the black haired boy's safety."

She flinched as if he had struck her. He couldn't possibly mean… no, it couldn't be. But, then again, he had been there in her vision. And she had thought briefly of her darling and, oh no… oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no he _did_ mean her darling. The monster was aware of her feelings for him as well. This… this couldn't be any worse. Her mind began to race, but the monster before her pinched her chin between two bladed digits, lifting her gaze to meet his.

"Do you understand me, Code 002? Do you understand what will happen to him if you stand against me?" Holes that had been drilled straight through a furnace bored into her own. His talons upon her chin were as long and sharp as any blade, but for all their sharpness they did not cut her. This man, this self-proclaimed monster, was nothing but malice, cruelty and cunning, all bound together with an iron will. She realized in that instant that he was speaking nothing but truth. If she stood against him, then he would kill _Hiro_. She couldn't let that happen. She _wouldn't_ let it happen.

"Yes, I understand." She said, her voice like iron as, for the first time in her life, Code 002 surrendered to fear. She couldn't let _him_ die. She would do everything in her power to not let that happen. Even if it meant surrendering, then so be it. She could swallow her pride for _him_. This admission of surrender did nothing to dilute the hatred she now held for this monster. Her blood boiled with it and she had to speak, if only to express her desire to see the man before her dead.

"You're so sure of yourself. So arrogant in your abilities. You can't possibly take them all. They'll defeat _you_. They'll kill _you_." She spoke the truth just as well as he. There was no way he could win, not against all of them. She didn't have a doubt in her mind that _he_ had brought along his friends. It was such a darling thing to do.

"You're absolutely right, little one. They will bring us down. Eventually. We certainly won't last forever. No one ever could. But, how many of them will fall in that process? How many have to give their lives for you? One? A couple? A dozen? A _score_? How many corpses will you stand upon at the end of today? If you do join the fight, then their blood will be on your hands just as much as they will be on mine. That's the difference between humans and monsters. A true monster wouldn't care for the blood it spills, so long as it accomplishes its goals. A human on the other hand would forsake their own goals for their fellow's safety. It's time for to decide if you're a true monster as you so claim, or if you're the human you so wish to be." He turned without another word, and left her alone in the darkness.

Code 002 sat in silence, alone and disturbed by the words of a true monster. His last words still echoed throughout her mind, presenting her with one final question.

What was she really?


	8. Chapter 8: The Crimson Maiden

**Chapter 8**

 **The Crimson Maiden**

* * *

One hundred and twenty-seven.

One hundred and twenty-seven confirmed kills.

One hundred and twenty-seven new counts of threat eliminations had been recorded by Andromeda's on-board automated tactical recording device and were now awaiting review by an administrator post conflict so that they could be thoroughly analyzed, codified, and then archived for later reference and/or study.

One hundred and twenty-seven Klaxosaurs had screamed their last as Andromeda had plunged her blade through their heart-core.

One hundred and twenty-seven fresh corpses decorated the chamber's floor, sprawling out and around the only occupant still standing.

Although, technically speaking, Andromeda wasn't _quite_ standing. Her stance was more akin to kneeling, leaning against her blade as she was, the point driven deep into the last monster's still-twitching corpse. Dark, inhuman gore coated her onyx-colored armor in a thin, multicolored sheen that glimmered faintly in the weak light. She looked every bit like the image of a battle-weary, blood-drenched knight straight from the dark ages of man.

S428 was supremely satisfied with the outcome of the battle. They had been horribly outnumbered, albeit the majority of their opponents had been crippled by the fall, and they had still been victorious. Their training had been very effective in preparing them. She would have expected nothing less of Papa, praise be upon His name.

"I give thanks to Him, for giving me strength to slay my enemies. I give thanks to Him, for placing His faith in me, just as I place my faith in Him. I give thanks to Him, for entrusting me with this sacred task of destruction." She whispered the prayer, her voice quiet yet strong with a fanatical devotion. She was sure to whisper her display of faith, not because of embarrassment or fear of reproach from her current companions, but because her prayer was for Papa's ears and His alone.

"I give thanks to Him, for the love He bears for me. I give thanks to Him, for the sacrifices He has made for our sake." She continued her prayers and did her best to ignore the stamen within her cockpit, speaking about things that did not concern her. Their voices were rough and brutal, intruding upon her moment of reflection. She concentrated all the harder upon her devotion. The path of the faithful was not always easy, and thus was it worthy of walking.

"I beg of Him, to continue His vigilance upon my eternal soul, so if my mortal shell fails I can continue to serve Him. I beg of Him, to continue to lend His strength to me, for though I am a vessel of His will, I am weak. I beg of Him, to forgive me for my trespasses against Him, for I have sinned against Him, and thus deserve only condemnation. I beg of Him, to allow my penance to continue, so that my redemption may one day come and I can be forgiven. Amen." She finished her post-battle invocation, and felt her soul swell with renewed conviction. She drew strength from her utter faith in Him, as so many humans had done with their own forgotten deities in ages long past.

Andromeda stood, rising from the freshly-slain corpse. Acting under the willpower of her pistil, she wrenched her blade free from the corpse. Crackling arcs of energy writhed across the length of the blade as the power field was activated, the Klaxosaur blood sizzling as it was scoured away by the lethal power bound within the weapon. For good measure, or a force of habit, she flicked the sword to the side, disgorging chunks of flesh and other bits that had managed to stubbornly lodge themselves between the teeth of the blade.

Klaxosaurs didn't die clean. They died like the demons they were.

"Well," the stamen said, "that was a good fight. Wouldn't you say, Hiro?"

Code 016, otherwise known as Hiro, did not look well; nonetheless he managed a response. "Yeah. It was great... I'm just... just gonna take a moment to sit down. Try not to...oh man... shake the machine if you can help it." His face visibly paled as he slumped against the side of the throne. Franxxs were not designed to carry passengers comfortably.

S428 did not like Code 016. This was not motivated from something simple and primitive like 'personal feelings'. She wasn't such a crude creature that she allowed such evolutionary remnants to influence her. No, her dislike of the boy stemmed from a merely professional viewpoint.

First off was the stamen's unconventional naming designation. Hiro. The boy called himself _Hiro_ , as if he didn't already have a code bestowed on him by Papa Himself. The sheer _audacity_ of his arrogance sent shards of rage piercing into her heart, twisting her mind to dark intentions. As if to prove her point, the emotional portion of her mind warred unreasonably with her logical half, demanding his blood for the offence he had blatantly committed against Papa. And yet, she didn't dare act on these primal urges, for she was no simple creature.

The second cause for her dislike of Code 016 was the fact that he _was_ a simple creature. The only reason he was even here assisting them was because his emotions encouraged him to do so. The stamen willingly _allowed_ himself to be controlled by such base things. It was absolutely abhorrent to her. The entire selfishness of such a path was a sin in itself, but she was forced to temporarily tolerate such distractions as Code 016 had proved eerily useful in tracking down their main objective. And the mission came before any of her personal objections, no matter how valid they may be. So, she tolerated him and his wretchedly outdated, not to mention dangerous, emotions. At least, for now.

There would surely come a day when such things became redundant to Code 016, and when that day finally came she would be there to show him the _true_ path to enlightenment. She would show him the way of faith, for she herself would be a poor devotee if she allowed one of Papa's favored tools to waste away and become blunted. However, today was not the day that she would aid him in finding the true path. It would come though, and on that day she would help him find the light should he need it.

As her thoughts progressed, the boys spoke together.

"So, Hiro," her partner ventured, "what did you think of our style?" She could already imagine his face as he spoke to the boy that was, in all but name, his idol. His cheeks would be turned ever so slightly upward as his violet eyes gleamed with energy. She knew her partner well.

"Yeah, you guys did great. I've never seen fighting like that from another parasite team before." Code 016 managed as he made his gradual recovery from the intense motions that had been his experience for the past few minutes. Despite her negative views of the boy, she had to admit he was rather robust. Perhaps, that was how he had managed to succeed where so many others had failed? An interesting theory, she thought to herself. If only there were a way to test it...

"Really?! You mean it? Thank you, Hiro! I learned some of those maneuvers from watching your squad. I figured we could try a few and- what do you know- they worked for us too!" Her partner was absolutely thrilled by Code 016's compliment. It was true that they had utilized a few moves they had gleaned from observing Squad 13 battle footage, but a significantly greater amount of maneuvers had been textbook examples of combat techniques, drilled into their minds by the Sage and his remorseless training regime. They were as effective as they were clinical, but even she was forced to admit that live combat required more 'improvised' techniques. After all, those who didn't adapt would inevitably fail. And failure was worse than death to the S.T.A.R.R.S. Speaking of failure, they couldn't afford to delay any longer. Their mission was far from over.

"Code 016," she interjected into their conversation before it could continue. She knew full well that S337 would gleefully continue their conversation all day. "What are your suggestions on advancing from here? This chamber has many different routes and our quarry could have chosen any of them." She loathed to rely on the boy and his emotions, but Papa had chosen him for a reason long ago, and so she placed her faith in his 'suggestions'. This mission was a test of her faith just as surely as it was a test of her combat abilities.

"Hmm." The boy took a moment to think, scanning the routes before them. He seemed to have recovered well from his earlier disorientation and was already standing steadily upon both feet. "I think the center tunnel looks the most promising."

She nodded in response to Code 016's answer. Yes, she had reached the same conclusion; though it was almost childishly obvious. Still, she felt verified by his answer and now she only awaited her partner's input upon the matter.

"I concur with Hiro. The main tunnel is the largest and most ornately decorated. We can reasonably assume that is the route taken. If it is wrong, well we can always circle back and take another route. That's all we can really do here with just us."

As Andromeda moved to the center tunnel, the stamen resumed their conversation, the subject of which provided little interest to her. She turned her thoughts inwards, briefly pondering upon the method in which Code 016 resisted Code 002's inhuman biology, but her awareness snapped back to the trappings of reality as Andromeda cried for her attention.

S428 gazed upward, suddenly weary. The sensory systems of her Franxx- meshing directly with her cerebral cortex- warned her of _something_ approaching from above. The identity of the incoming object was unknown to her, but that mattered little this far behind enemy lines. She would treat any anomaly as an enemy ploy.

"We have contacts above. They're coming in fast." She warned her partner.

"More Klaxosaurs?" S337 asked, pulling himself away from his conversation with Hiro.

"Unknown," she confessed her ignorance to her partner, "No IFF tag present. But, given our current location, it is wise to assume enemy reinforcements are on the way. Or, perhaps we simply missed one on the way down."

Andromeda braced herself for the unexpected arrival, setting her legs into a wide, flexible stance. She held her blade in both hands, the weapon humming with potent power as she lifted it en garde. She waited patiently for the enemy, her gaze focused skywards and her pistil whispering a quick invocation to Papa, beseeching Him for strength in the coming conflict. Not that she had ever considered failure, but S428 was nothing if not faithful.

It wasn't long before they could see the new arrivals, descending upon howling pillars of orange flame in sheer defiance of gravity. Their indistinct forms quickly resolved from out of the darkness, taking on the familiar image of a Franxx. But, they were no normal Franxxs.

Two ivory-clad warriors slammed into the ground, one after the other. The second arrival crushed a corpse beneath it. The gore splashed upwards, drenching the already battle-scarred machine with a fresh coat of morbidity. Their magma halberds purred as the energy within them desperately sought to escape, the occasional flash of energy briefly illuminating the area as the magnetic field briefly momentarily in its containment.

S428 couldn't believe her optical receivers. Surely, they were suffering from a malfunction. Her true mouth certainly was, opening and closing soundlessly as she fumbled to greet the warriors. Her partner, always the more socially gifted of the pair, managed to greet them first.

"9s?! And no less than 9A and 9O! Truly, it is an honor to meet both of you. I am Code S337, stamen of Andromeda and co-squad leader of the S.T.A.R.R.S. And my partner is Code S428, pist-"

9A strode up to Andromeda, his Franxx crunching the quickly liquefying remnants of limbs beneath every step. "Enough," his voice cracked like a whip, but it lacked any sophistication or semblance of civility, "I require your assistance in a single matter. In the name of Papa, you will comply. Which way is the Praetorian?" The Franxx waved its hand at the assortment of portals before them. The intent was clear.

"Well, that's something we don't know for sure. However, we were working under the assumption that the largest tunnel is-"

"Thank you for your assistance-," the 9 Model pivoted sharply towards the largest tunnel, "- _human_ ". 9A practically spat the word, as if it were a curse to him, and nothing more.

"Wait! If we were to-" S337's words were lost as both Nines activated their thrusters, sending them howling down the main tunnel.

S337 sighed. "I was gonna say we could work together and clear the tunnels in a methodical order, but I guess we have to do things the hard way. Well, that's just the way the S.T.A.R.R.S like it. Ain't that right, S428?"

The mention of her code did what she herself had failed to do; restore her bearing. "Y-yes. As you say, S337." She managed to stumble out.

She refocused her mind by chanting a litany of faith, the words glorifying Papa and imploring Him to bestow His benevolence upon her once more. Her spirit calmed with such a show of devotion to her divine patron.

S428 had made a mistake. She had allowed her attention to lapse in a combat mission. A minor sin, for any other parasite, but she wasn't just any other parasite. She was S428. She had been handpicked by Papa, same as her entire squad. They couldn't fail in their duty. _She_ couldn't fail.

S428 made a silent vow that she would give everything she had to ensure that failure would never be a possibility.

* * *

The Nine's arrival had been a bit unexpected, but ultimately Hiro cared little for them. The only purpose they managed to accomplish was to serve as a vague reminder of his beloved 02. Not that he needed a reminder, for he could never forget _her_.

"Personally, I think they were a little rude. But, don't tell them I said that." S337 smiled as he looked back at Hiro. The opaque, plastic visor that covered his violet eyes was down, but his mouth still managed to convey a heartwarming grin. The boy had a seemingly inexhaustible optimism and despite the anxiety of his separation from 02, not to mention the horror of witnessing first-hand the massacre upon the surface, Hiro found that the boy's positive attitude was growing on him. Even so, the tether beckoned once again, as if it were capable of becoming impatient, and Hiro was desperate to set off down the main tunnel.

As they approached the main tunnel, Hiro heard... something. He wasn't quite sure it was even there, but he couldn't quite ignore it either for it existed upon the cusp of his hearing, an echo upon the wind. He focused upon it, unknowingly activating a sixth sense not accessible by normal humans, and realized what exactly that _something_ was.

It was singing.

The singing wasn't refined nor was it clear. He wasn't even sure that it _was_ singing, just that such a classification was the most applicable to the 'sound'. It was like a heavenly choir far off in the distance, but distorted by... screams.

As they neared the tunnel it became clear that the song was not _distorted_ by screams, but rather _punctuated_ by them.

The screams were intentional.

That realization sent a chill down his spine, causing his entire body to shiver.

"You cold, Hiro?" S337 was paying attention to him, for some unknown reason. In addition to his optimism, the boy was horribly perceptive of his surroundings as well. Hiro was still trying to decide if that was good or bad.

"No, it's just the singing. It's not exactly to my liking." He played it off as nothing more than general dislike.

S337 frowned. "Hiro... what singing?"

The chill poured into him like the northern sea claiming a breached cargo ship. "The... singing. Don't you hear it?"

"Hiro, you must be mistaken. There is no 'singing'. Isn't that right, S428?"

"Affirmative. I hear no singing. Code 016 is most likely suffering from auditory illusions originating from serious head trauma; lamentable given our current situation, you'll most likely be an unreliable asset. However, I have faith that you will make a full recovery."

"You hear that, Hiro? It's just a little reminder from earlier. Just ignore it, take it a little easy, and you'll be fine in no time!"

Hiro thought about arguing the point, but realized such an action would be pointless. They couldn't hear the singing and no amount of explaining was going to convince them otherwise. And so, he became a passive observer as he simply ignored the singing. The occasional piercing scream still caused his entire body to wince, but his attention was directed elsewhere as moments later the pistil spoke aloud.

"I have more contacts. Positive return on all IFF tags; they're members of our squad." S428 reported to her partner. Hiro marveled at her ability to show absolutely no emotion when delivering the best news they've had all day. Reinforcements were finally on their way.

The rest of the S.T.A.R.R.S arrived in the same manner as the Nines had; though they did so in wildly different styles. Hiro watched them from Andromeda's cockpit, attaching names to each one based solely upon the description given to him by S337.

A massively-built Franxx, perhaps the largest he had ever seen, thundered into the ground with meteoric force, the bodies beneath it pulped by the extreme forces unleashed upon impact. The Franxx's every feature was clearly geared towards one supreme doctrine of combat: overwhelming firepower. The machine had no hands, instead relying upon built-in weapon armaments up-scaled to massive proportions. A wide-barreled cannon sat atop their right shoulder, grinning with potent lethality. On the opposing side of the laughably comparatively small head nestled a pod brimming with crimson-tipped missiles. An array of sights and targeting devices covered her face like mechanical barnacles. So, that was Orion, he concluded.

Next came what could only be Lupus. She landed nimbly for a Franxx, her thrusters barely illuminating the chamber with an orange hue as they ignited for the briefest moment, halting her descent. Almost immediately upon landing, Hiro lost sight of her within the all-consuming shadows. Only the weapons she wielded in both hands managed to appear in the dark, and even then they were hazy, indistinct things that rarely caught the light. As for the machine herself, she was practically invisible and Hiro struggled to make out even the smallest of details in what little light there was, even with the aid of Andromeda's emerald night-sight.

Last, but certainly not least, came what could only be described as a seraph in the most honest sense. She didn't fall like Orion or stagger to a stop, arrested by some invisible hand from above like Lupus, no, nothing so crude for Papa's personal representative. She descended in a stately, angelic manner; the pinions of her thruster system arrayed behind her as they generated continuous lift in a humming choir of churning energy that set his teeth on edge. Her ivory skin, as pure as the driven snow of Garden, shone all the brighter in the dark, allowing Hiro to truly appreciate the fine details worked across her chassis and limbs; floral designs etched in gold and brass flowing elegantly about her form. She touched down with impossible grace, her massive bardiche stabbing into the ground alongside her with a resounding bang as it struck the marble-like floor of the chamber. Clearly this was the _Herald of Eternit_ _y_ \- known as Aquila in layman's terms- that S337 had spoken so highly of. Hiro wondered why such a Franxx was so highly decorated and entitled if it only served as the _secondary_ squad leader. Immediately upon landing, Aquila approached Andromeda.

"Andromeda, all members of the squad are present and fit for duty. No injuries sustained as of yet. In your absence, we collaborated with the 9s and initiated a pursuit of the objective, which has brought us here. Unfortunately, it would seem the 9s are all too eager to slip the leash." The voice of Aquila's stamen was polite and strong, the perfect soldier.

S428 responded. "Very good, Aquila. How exactly did you find the tunnel?"

"We have Lupus to thank for that," Aquila gestured with her bardiche to the shadow in the corner. "She was able to sniff you out and guide us. Whenever your magma-weapon activates, it briefly throws out a spike of electromagnetic interference. The distortion was more than enough to track you down."

Andromeda accepted this with a nod. Her scarlet eyes wondered about, eventually settling upon Orion, standing in the center of the chamber with weapon-arms at the ready, her optics reading the very air. S428's eyes narrowed within her metal cradle and she urged Andromeda past Aquila.

"Aquila? What are you doing…?" Began the stamen once again, but quickly lapsed into silence when he realized S428 was not going to recognize his question.

Andromeda approached Orion, stepping over a carcass. The two machines stared one another down, crimson eyes boring into the collection of complex devices attached to Orion's face. The machines were unequal in height, the black armored Andromeda almost a full head shorter. "Remove your targeting apparatus." S428 ordered Orion. She complied, the tactical optics sliding to a place atop her head, leaving a digital face in their wake.

Andromeda moved so fast, Hiro didn't even see it.

An onyx fist, the knuckles adorned with jagged knots of solid crimson, cannoned directly into Orion's face, causing her to stumble backwards. She fell as her foot became entangled with a corpse-limb, crashing into the ground amidst the broken bodies.

" **Hey**! What the _hell_ was that for?!" He heard Orion's pistil screech across the net. Her voice had been driven high by the shock of the blow, but she lapsed into silence as Andromeda leveled her cruel blade; the weapon alive and humming with ominous intent.

Hiro was stunned. He literally could not believe what was happening. It was unthinkable. They were parasites. They were children. They were _comrades_. They shouldn't be acting like this.

"S047, you disobeyed a direct order from your superior. More importantly, you willfully and arrogantly ignored the authority invested within me by Papa Himself. This cannot be overlooked, and it cannot be forgiven. I require absolute discipline within this squad, for we report directly to _Him_. If you act out again I will _personally_ remove you as Orion's pistil and have you arrested for insubordination and dereliction of duty." Her voice had always been empty and flavorless, but now it was hard and unyielding, swimming with something dark and merciless. "Do you understand, S047?"

Orion held Andromeda's gaze, daring her to drop the blade a few more meters. Neither Lupus nor Aquila moved to intervene in this stand off, they simply stood and watched, as if this was all completely normal.

Everyone and everything was frozen, the tension so tightly wound that Hiro could have severed it with a knife. He looked to S337, hoping that the boy would be doing something- anything!- in order to intervene. But, the boy was just as idle as his comrades. His face was a mask of control, his mouth a fine line of stoic conservatism. His visor was pulled low, his violet eyes unreadable behind it.

It was Orion that finally gave in, casting her gaze to the ground. "Yes. I understand."

"Yes... what?"

"Yes, _squad leader_." S047 growled across the comm channel.

"I'm sure you do." Seemingly satisfied with the results she switched to address Orion's stamen. "S199, I expect you to keep your partner in line in the future. I would hate to force you to suddenly find yourself lacking a partner."

"Yes, Ma'am. I will be more strict with her in the future. You have my word."

Andromeda raised her blade before backing off, allowing Orion the room to stand. The Franxx had no hands to speak of, and thus the entire movement was rendered into a painstakingly lengthy affair. It became awkward to watch after a minute

Lupus moved, taking a single step towards the struggling machine. Andromeda halted the movement with a glare. The wolf-like Franxx bowed her head and averted her eyes, slinking back into the shadows like a whipped hound that had taken one too many table scraps.

Orion finally managed to rise, standing on her own.

Andromeda finally tore her gaze away from her comrade, affixing the rest of her squad with her murderous glare. "We will be moving soon. The 9s have taken the initiative and have assumed the role of the vanguard. We will move in support, ensuring they reach the objective with speed whilst maintaining a secure extraction route. Any questions?"

No one offered up any.

"Excellent. Lupus, deploy the relay beacon and assume the position of rear guard. Orion and Aquila, both of you shall remain in the center. Andromeda will take point. Understood?"

"Affirmative!"

Lupus reached behind her back, pulling a cylinder out of seemingly nowhere. It was featureless and black, and roughly the size of her hand. She strode over to a wall and stabbed the cylinder into it. It stuck fast and did nothing more that was worthy of note. The Franxx nodded to their squad leader once this was done.

The S.T.A.R.R.S advanced down the main tunnel, blades at the ready. Such readiness was rather unnecessary though, and it wasn't long before they found evidence of the Nines merciless advance. Splotches of off-colored blood marked where Klaxosaurs had been gutted and left to disintegrate. Some had managed to maintain their solidity in death; though they had been ravaged beyond classification and were little more than scraps of discarded meat. They passed silently by the dead, the tunnel choked with them.

After some time had passed, S337 leaned over and whispered to Hiro. "I'm sorry you had to see all of that."

"Yeah, it escalated pretty quickly. Is that... normal for your squad?" Hiro asked.

S337 shrugged. "Depends on the day really. S428 can be a bit... 'excessive' at times, but that's why I'm her partner. I'll make sure she doesn't go too far."

Hiro stole a glance at the pistil, mounted within her cradle. They were close enough that whatever passed between the two stamen would be easily heard by her. S337 saw his gaze, but gave him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, we won't upset her by talking about the incident. She doesn't take any sort of pleasure in what she did, it was merely a professional duty. What she did to S047 was regrettable, but necessary."

"But, why? Surely she could have found another way that wasn't so, well, barbaric."

S337 shook his head. "Not with S047. She only understands force. Besides, this isn't the _first_ time she has gotten out of line either, but it is the first time within a live combat mission. As the leaders of this squad, we cannot allow such an infraction of discipline to go unpunished. By doing this now we set a future precedent that no deviation will be accepted. This is our role within the squad, harsh though it may seem. Besides, it's really only Orion that we have problems with. Neither of Aquila's parasites would ever step too far out of line and Lupus is as loyal as they come."

"Still, that's a pretty harsh way to run a squad. I can't imagine actually resorting to violence against another human, especially one of my squad."

"Perhaps it is brutal. But this is the way of our squad at times." He muttered. His entire mood darkened suddenly as he looked away hurriedly. "Our upbringing wasn't easy, after all."

"What do you mean by that?" Hiro jumped upon the cryptic response.

S337 was silent for moment, lost in his own memories. When he looked back at Hiro, the visor had slid away to reveal eyes haunted by a terrible past. "I mean exactly that, Hiro. It was difficult. For all of us. That's all I'll say on the matter. Please, do not press the matter."

Hiro dropped the matter as suggested. He definitely wished to delve deeper into the matter, but he also wanted to respect his new friend's privacy. Something was definitely off about these parasites, but now was not the time for an investigation. Perhaps, if he-

+wHyyyh veYoOuCOmeHEERre!?+ The voice interrupted his thoughts.

"What?" Hiro asked before he could stop himself.

"I'm sorry?" S337 replied.

"Did you... did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" S337 asked, clearly perplexed by the question. Other than the voice, everything was silent once again.

"Nothing. Just thought I heard something. Must have been my imagination once again." He replied. It definitely _hadn't_ been his imagination, but there was no reason to appear insane.

"Hiro, perhaps you should take it easy and rest. I understand you're worried about Code 002, but you're beginning to act a little... off. No offense, my friend."

Perhaps he was just imagining it. Perhaps he was going crazy with anxiety. Perhaps he wa- +brRRinGthEEeEseInINiNtrudEErrrRssheeeRrEee...wHhhhyyy?+-s definitely not hearing things. The voice was no longer a single voice. It was many voices speaking- no, screaming- as a singular, united entity.

What was with this place and screaming?

"Are you sure that you don't hear anything?"

"Hiro, what is there to hear?" S337's ignorance wasn't false. He was genuine in his confusion.

"I guess it's nothing. Maybe I do have a head injury." He admitted, only investing a meager amount of faith with the theory.

"Well, take it easy then. I'd hate for you to strain yourself unnecessarily."

"Thanks for looking out for me. I appreciate it." Hiro confessed to the boy as he forced a reassuring smile upon his face. Despite their current situation and short time knowing each other, he genuinely felt that this boy would be a good friend, and he did his best to keep their relationship a positive one. S337 was polite, honest, and friendly. Already Hiro counted him as a trusted companion, perhaps the only one in the world that wasn't in his immediate squad. Curious, how quickly strangers could bond with each other just by talking and sharing their honest feelings.

"Oh, I'm afraid the reason I'm looking out for you isn't _entirely_ benevolent. For you see, I have a plan. And it involves you. In fact, it is not an exaggeration to say itdepends _entirely_ upon you."

"Really? Well, now you have my attention." Hiro said, intrigued by the boy's words. "Care to explain?"

"Absolutely!" He leapt at the opportunity. "So, let me explain the situation. Our objective is the acquisition of the Praetorian and the securing of Code 002 and Strelizia. As it stands right now, the Praetorian is an incredibly powerful, and basically unpredictable, opponent. It's entirely unknown to us. I'm not even sure we _can_ take it in a fight, let alone take it _aliv_ _e_. We also know that it has Strelizia and her condition is presumed to be inactive. However, I can't imagine a scenario wherein Code 002 willfully submitted to capture. Can you?" The boy rocketed off an explanation at Mach 10.

Hiro shook his head as his brain collected the boy's words. His 02 would _never_ surrender.

"So, my plan is to reactivate Strelizia and bring her into the fight against the Praetorian, completing both objectives in one fell swoop. And in order to do that..."

"You want me to board Strelizia in a combat situation, don't you?" He ventured.

"Exactly! But, it won't be that simple. First, we will need to transfer you to Lupus. Because she is built primarily with stealth in mind she has the best chance to get you in close. Meanwhile, the rest of us will work in cohesion with the 9s and engage the Praetorian, taking care to survive and outlast the beast rather than committing to an outright battle. Once you reunite with your partner, Strelizia will be able to rejoin the fight and turn it in our favor. The Praetorian will be overwhelmed and eventually secured as our prisoner. How does it sound?"

"Hmm." Hiro thought about it. It was a very simple, but sound, plan. Only, there was a _slight_ problem. "You're staking _everything_ on me for this, aren't you? What if Lupus doesn't make it? What if I _can'_ _t_ activate Strelizia? What if-"

"Hiro." S428's sliced through his protests. "You won't fail. You may not know this, but Papa has placed much faith in you. He has entrusted his most favored tool to you." Hiro bristled as he heard his beloved spoken of in such a manner, but he didn't dare interrupt the pistil. She… unnerved him. "Have faith, Hiro. If not in yourself or us, then find it within Papa. I promise you, faith will carry you to victory every time."

He didn't know what to say, so he lapsed into silence. He hadn't expected a pep-talk from her. Not after the incident from before; nonetheless, what she had said had been inspiring, to a certain degree. Perhaps, he should place his faith in other humans, even if they were strangers for the most part. He noticed S337 was smiling at him.

"What?"

"Well, will you do it?"

"Of course I'll do it! I would never pass up a chance to reunite with her. I'm just a bit concerned that you would place the success of your entire mission with me."

The boy shrugged, his grin growing wider. "What can I say, Hiro? I have faith."

* * *

I leaned back into the throne, the intangible connection Lilith and I shared flaring into existence. Once again, two minds became one.

However, our mental connection felt _different_ this time. It was as if a line had been drawn in the sand, separating our minds from one another, warding against unintentional entanglement. This was promising. This was very promising.

I decided to test the depths of my now solitary mind. I shifted through my memories, poking and prodding through the endless labyrinth that was my mind, swimming groggily through what murky memories remained to me; though they were _my_ memories, not her's. The gamble had paid off. We were connected, but we were not lost within each other's mind. I silently thanked a deity I held no faith with.

\+ That was... harsh of you.+ Lilith said, interrupting my pointless, unheard prayers.

\+ What do you mean?+

\+ Your words to the girl. They were not kind.+ She stated with the faintest hint of an accusation. I sighed internally as I realized that her statement wasn't something that would be easily buried. This was something I would have to deal with now, rather than later. How exhausting.

\+ The truth is often unkind, Lilith. What did you expect me to do when you warned me about the invaders? What did you expect me to say to her when I left in a hurry? Should I have lied and said everything was fine? Should I have told her that I was going for a quaint little walk instead of preparing to fight her comrades? You saw her, Lilith. She actually stood up to me. **Me!** And she is merely a child. I am all too aware of what I would look like to a child. It takes real courage, like the kind a warrior would possess, to stand up against something like me. And that girl certainly has it. There is no way she would have simply sidelined herself whilst her comrades assaulted us, for that is not her way. As soon as she found an opening we would have found a blade in the back. I couldn't risk that happening, so I took measures to ensure her compliance. With the dark-haired boy's life on the line she won't dare turn against us.+

\+ So, instead of simply making up an excuse to leave, you threatened to kill someone she cares deeply about. You do recall that we required her _willing_ cooperation, right?+

\+ You asked me to secure her cooperation. You never once told me that coercion was off limits.+

\+ She is supposed to _trust_ us, Samael. How exactly is that going to work now that you've gone on your tirade about man and monsters and how they're one and the same?+

\+ I was only being honest with her.+

\+ I'm sure she appreciates that.+

\+ Is that sarcasm I detect?+ I briefly wondered if such a thing were even possible. Did her species even understand sarcasm as a concept? Or did they merely have a different name for it?

\+ How do you plan on earning her trust like this? You denounced your entire species directly in front of her and, may I remind you, being human is the _only_ thing you two have in common. I was relying solely upon your shared genetic origin to forge a bond of trust, but that is a lost cause now. Well done, Samael. Well done.+ Ah, so she _was_ familiar with sarcasm as a concept. I could almost _hear_ the sarcastic clapping of her hands. She sounded vaguely frustrated as well; though not quite on the verge of anger yet. Perhaps I should be taking this conversation a bit more seriously.

\+ You don't know humans, Lilith. Not like I do. I've lived as a human all my life, and I've taken enough of their lives in that time that I know them on an almost intimate level, so trust me that I know what I'm doing.+ I stopped as I remembered my past life. I took a momentary pause as I remembered what I had lost in the age before. When I had at last gathered my thoughts, I did my best to explain my actions to her. +In the quiet moments of that long war, when the fighting slowed and the action lulled, there were times where I sat and reflected upon the reasons for why I did what I did. No matter what, I would always ask myself the same questions: Why could I slaughter innocents for no cause? Why did I spill so much blood? Why was violence always an answer? And why did I feel no regrets for doing any of it? That's when I realized that I wasn't unique amongst the beings that called themselves human. That's when I realized that I didn't _need_ a reason to do what I did. I was human, and that was enough to justify the sins. The war around me provided many examples of the true nature of humanity, of the savage _things_ that lurked just behind the facade of civility. My brothers and I were no exception. Any one of us could justify killing if we had even a half-decent reason for it. Any human could easily become a monster without a moment's hesitation. That's what I need her to see. The ugly truth of our _shared_ genetic origin. I need her to see how easily she could fall into madness if she isn't careful. She cannot see me as an enemy, but as a warning from a fellow human. She needs to fear going down the path of self destruction I walked so long ago. You said she would save us all, correct? How do you think she will be able to do that if she doesn't even see herself worth saving? How will she save humanity if she doesn't even believe she is a part of it?+

\+ You're... intentionally pretending to be a monster?+ I could sense her confusion across the link. It was understandable. She couldn't possibly have known to what end I was working towards.

\+ Oh, no, not at all. I'm not pretending. This is what I truly am. By showing her what awaits at the end of her path I will guarantee her cooperation through fear of treading in the same footsteps. She needs to realize that if she simply fights without reason then she will become forever trapped in this cycle of murder fueled self-loathing. She must discover for herself why she fights. Why she _deserves_ to be called human. I left that decision in her hands, so that when the time comes, she will choose the right path. She will fight for us, because she will lose everything she holds dear if she does not.+

\+ You left far too much to chance for my liking. What if she chooses to become a monster? What if she chooses to throw herself back into the endless grind of war? What if she decides humanity isn't worth saving?+

\+ Then we all die and this discussion becomes irrelevant. At least you will get the chance to say 'I told you so,' before we are all 'consumed' as you so colorfully put it. At least you'll have that going for you.+

\+ You might possibly be insane.+

\+ My brothers used to say the same thing.+ Ah, my brothers. Such raw honesty found within true friends. I was blessed to have them while I did.

\+ So, you don't truly hate your own species? It's just a role to you?+

\+ No, to the contrary. I do. Very much. Everything I have said about them is true and then some, but I promised you I would stand with you until the end. And, for whatever reason, you seem to be dead set on saving this world and its inhabitants. It's just rather unfortunate for me that humans happen to be included in that as well.+

\+ How can you hate your own kind so much?+

\+ How could I not? I left a world steeped in blood and death and now I awaken in a new age, to a world of dust and echoes, and humanity is just as awful as the time before. We learned nothing from our mistakes.+

\+ You have barely even seen this new world. Are you really so quick to judge?+

\+ Judge what? Our enemy consists of children piloting titanic war-engines. _Children_ _,_ Lilith. Immature sacks of human flesh and potential, completely unsuited to the trials of war. Someone authorized their use for all of this despite that fact. Someone sent them in to the battle above knowing full well they would all die. I think I have seen enough to judge this age of man.+

\+ The use of child soldiers bothers you?

\+ I am a monster, but I am also a man. So, yes, it does bother me that the young of my species is being thrown pointlessly into a battle. But, perhaps it is that I simply hold a sliver of sympathy for them in my heart for I was once just like them once. I was barely older than the little one when I once walked the same path. Worse, because I did it willingly.+

\+ You assume she walks it with no other choice. What if you're wrong? What if she chose this path of war? What if they are all willing combatants?+

\+ Whether she did so willingly or not is irrelevant. The fact remains that she walks it now. But, unlike her, I know what awaits at the end of the path.+

\+ And what does await her?+

\+ What do you think, Lilith? What do think awaits those who tread the path of blood and war?+ And then I did something that surprised even me. I opened my mind, exposing my memories to her. Raw and unfiltered, she saw them all, a deluge of violence and hatred spilling out. I could sense her as she tried to process every last image. She failed, I could sense that as well, but enough was seen by her to comprehend my message. She experienced the horrors of my time. She saw my brothers fall one by one in a pointless war, for all wars were ultimately pointless. She saw the nuclear fires that claimed my family and heralded the escalation of that war. She watched from my eyes as I slaughtered countless humans in a futile attempt to slake my thirst for vengeance.

\+ Do you see? Do you see what awaits any human at the end of this path? Only blood and pain awaits. There is no glory at the end of this path, only the loss of everything that once mattered to them, sacrificed in the name of their desires that shall never be sated. If they continue upon the path of war, then they will only become hollow reflections of what they once were. Just like me.+

She was silent as she processed all of this. After a long, quiet moment had passed, she spoke once more.

+I am sorry, Samael, for bringing you back into this life of endless war. We should have let you sleep.+

\+ Do not offer me pity, Lilith. The sins I committed long ago set me upon this path. It will only end when I die, and I will welcome that day with a smile.+

\+ The way you say that... it sounds as if you wish to die.+

\+ Perhaps I do. Perhaps I wish to see my family once more upon the other side. Perhaps I wish to join my brothers in the eternal slumber. Or maybe, just maybe, I just want it all to end and drop into the endless nothingness that most assuredly awaits me.+

\+ You may get your wish sooner than expected. The bioweaver has just informed me that the intruders have just increased speed. It won't be long until they arrive.+

\+ Finally. I'm surprised it took them this long. This age of man is just as brutal as the last one, but it is not nearly half as competent. Give me a full situation report.+ I instantly refocused on the overall strategic situation, our conversation sidelined by the more imminent threat of humanity. We stooped, collecting our semi-sentient weapon from its resting place upon the ground. I didn't even know how to use it properly, but Lilith had assured me that she remembered the proper fighting style. She informed me that she was 'decent' at it. Considering it was our only weapon, I didn't have much choice in the matter. Better than the claws. Probably.

\+ They are legion, according to the bioweaver. Possibly thousands are invading, storming along the same route we arrived through. Hundreds of our allies have already fallen and the invaders have entered the _Collective's_ domain. Gates are sealing throughout the city to prevent them from flanking us and reinforcements are being rerouted to our location as we speak. Still, they have a direct route to us and our allies will not reach us before the invaders do. We will be overwhelmed if the reports are to believed.+ Lilith delivered a decently composed- if a little exaggerated in some aspects- report of the situation.

\+ Thousands? I find that hard to believe. There were not that many units upon the surface, unless they committed reserves. Your kind seems to be prone to excessive exaggeration.+

\+ I am only relaying what the bioweaver has told me. If you wish to speak directly with her I can-+

\+ No, you needn't bother. I'm quite fine receiving information second-handed here.+ That was a lie, but I had an inherent dislike of the bioweaver. It was best that I did not interact with that... _thing_.

The bioweaver communicated mind-to-mind, much like Lilith and I. However, Lilith's presence was tolerable, perhaps even preferable; though we had our differences, the conversation was civilized and mutually inclusive. In striking contrast, the bioweaver was damn near invasive, ripping memories and plucking thoughts from my head like grapes from a vine as she practically interrogated me rather than conversed. Could there be anything more alien than that?

\+ Third-handed.+

\+ Excuse me?+

\+ The information is third-handed, not second-handed. The reports of the enemy's movements are delivered directly to the bioweaver before trickling down to you through me. That's third-hand information.+

\+ Thank you, Lilith, for that amazingly helpful explanation. It will assist me greatly in the future.+ I tried my hand at sarcasm once more, but she showed no sign of acknowledgment. Maybe she didn't understand sarcasm as a concept?

\+ However, if what you say is accurate, then we cannot hold here. We should make a tactical withdrawal until we know for certain the enemy's strength.+

\+ We cannot retreat.+ The reply was as adamant as it was quick.

\+ That's not what I said. It would make far more tactical sense to continue our gradual withdrawal until we are in a more advantageous position. An ancient human warrior once said: 'If he is in superior strength, evade him'. Considering the enemy's current numerical advantage, repositioning should be our primary course of action. Let's gather the key as carefully as possible and leave while we still can.+

\+ You don't understand, Samael. I agree with your statement, we _should_ withdraw but the situation is more complicated than you realize.+

\+ How so?+

\+ We have no where left to withdraw to. This is the last bastion of ours upon this landmass and we are within its most heavily fortified area already. There is no better ground than the hollowed earth we stand upon now.+

\+ Well, that's rather... discouraging. I thought your kind once claimed mastery across a thousand worlds, but now we find ourselves stuck on a single continent? Oh, how the mighty have fallen.+

\+ This world only possessed a single continent in my time. The eons of tectonic shifting have not been kind to the subterranean transportation system. If we had weeks then we could easily _create_ a secure evacuation-+

\+ But we don't _have_ weeks, Lilith, so that severely limits our options. We can't withdraw, so we must stand. What assets do we have on hand that can turn the tide in our favor?+

\+ A moment, please.+ I did as she requested, standing idly by and awaiting her return. I imagined that she had left me, her consciousness ghosting throughout the facility and gathering what information she could from a myriad of sources. I would later find that my fantasy was actually fairly accurate.

\+ The bioweaver has already begun her extraction; though even she may be too late. We have massive amounts of warriors en route as well from the surface, but the sheer logistics of their redeployment will ensure they arrive far too late and from the wrong direction. A few packs stand between us and the invaders currently. Other than that, we have this weapon.+

\+ Oh, how wonderful. What about that scream we did earlier? It proved quite effective on the surface. That's still an option, right?+

\+ Negative. It requires more energy.+

\+ Energy? That is a simple solution. Let's tap into whatever remains in this facility.+

\+ Not _that_ kind of energy, Samael. The energy I am speaking of takes time to build up naturally, and it certainly can't be siphoned off.+

\+ Exactly what _kind_ of energy are we talking about here?+

\+ The metaphysical kind.+

\+ Ah. Yes. That kind. Of course.+ I hadn't the faintest idea of what she was speaking about, for it far exceeded my area of expertise, but I decided pressing the point wouldn't help in our situation. Time was not in ready supply. + What other assets do we have available at the moment?+

\+ None.+ She replied.

\+ Nothing. Really? No other tricks up the metaphorical sleeve?+ I pressed her to think. There had to be _something_ worthwhile in this wretched hole of a city.

\+ Well, we do have a _single_ asset that may prove useful, but I am hesitant to activate them.+

\+ _Them_? Such vagueness! I'm beginning to associate such an amusing trait with you. But, I confess that you do have my attention. Tell me more about _them_.+

\+ I wouldn't say they are reliable.+

\+ Then, what are they?+

\+ They are twisted.+ Her disgust was as palpable as electricity crackling freely about the air. Whatever these 'twisted' were must have been truly unnerving to her. Now I was definitely intrigued, if only to satiate my morbid curiosity.

\+ The twisted? How predictably dramatic of your kind. Why are they called that?+

\+ Because they are twisted degenerates in both body and mind. They're completely insane, their minds long lost to any semblance of rationality.+

\+ You label me as insane, and yet, here I stand. Will they do the same?+

\+ Our species may have different definitions of insanity. After all, the majority of your species is completely mad by my own standards. However, I suppose that the twisted may manage to recognize us as kin, even in their delusional state. If they are summoned then they will stand with us… I think.+ She added the last bit as an afterthought.

\+ You don't sound too confident about that.+

\+ As I said; they are insane. We cannot predict their actions.+

\+ By your own words you have labeled me the same as well, and yet, here I am helping you. Summon them, unless you wish to die here. I could care less if we survive, so long as I fulfill my promise.+

\+ I'd rather fight the invaders as we are now.+ She said with commendable stubbornness. This entire conversation was beginning to _irk_ me. I disliked being _irked_.

\+ Are you truly that afraid of them? You rather die alone than fight alongside these 'twisted'?+

\+ I do not _fea_ _r_ them, Samael. If anything, I _pity_ them.+

\+ Why?+

\+ Because, I pity what they have become. They are grim reminders of what _could_ have happened.+

\+ I do not care to entertain pity, even your's, nor is now the time for such wastefulness. Now is the time for action. For battle. For death. Cast aside your reservations and deploy them at once, Lilith.+ I felt her bristle at my tone, but if she brought me to fight a war then she would have to start heading my advice. Eventually, I felt her back down, acquiescing to my order.

\+ Fine then. I'll make the necessary arrangements to ensure their deployment. Let it be known that I _strongly_ disagree with this course of action though. Also, I'm fairly certain now that you _are_ insane.+

\+ That's fine. So long as they fight for us, I could care less what they do or how they do it.+ I ignored her belligerence, but only because I knew that realistically, we were complete equals. We were partners, after all. Experience was the only thing that separated us and, for now, I was the more experienced with humans. There would surely come a time when I relied upon her once again.

\+ I should warn you as well; they will not arrive before the enemy does.+

\+ So long as they arrive.+

I could hear it now, a nigh inaudible howling from far away; though this was not one of our lesser kin. It was too harsh, too artificial to be anything but of human origin.

The enemy was finally here.

\+ Lilith.+

\+ Yes, insane one?+

\+ You made me a promise, in the city above; do you remember?+ The howling was growing louder, closing in on our position with every passing second.

\+ Yes. I remember. I promised you one of their heads. A small promise, made when we barely knew any better, but I will honor it; though I fail to understand why you made me promise such a trivial thing.+

\+ Look at you, being all accommodating and such. Trust me, there is a good reason for the head. Just, give me a moment to speak with them when they arrive. We must find the dark-haired boy at any cost, so I will try to stall them. If we delay them long enough then our reinforcements should allow us the time to find the child. He is our only hope to acquire her cooperation, so we mustn't engage without good reason and risk his death. However, I'm under no delusions. We are dealing with humans today, and they are a fickle species. Be ready.+

\+ I won't die alone.+

\+ Excuse me?+

\+ You asked me if I'd rather die alone than fight alongside the twisted. But, I won't die alone. If I die, I will die with you, Samael. You made me a promise.+

\+ Yes. Yes, I did. And I will remain true to it until the bitter end.+

\+ You are human, Samael. Humans are fickle. You said it yourself.+

\+ Indeed they are. But, as I've said before, I'm barely a true human anymore.+

\+ Yes. You are a monster. You have been quite clear on that.+

I couldn't stop myself from laughing at that. Maybe she wasn't too bad after all.

* * *

"Good luck, Hiro." S337 sketched a crisp salute as his friend stepped over the lip. Code 016 returned the honorific gesture with a simple wave and the two young men shared a grim smile at Hiro's departure.

He could do little but watch as his new friend hobbled across the bridge made possible by the deployment of two face-plates. With little ceremony, Hiro was bequeathed into the care of Lupus and her parasites.

S337 watched as Hiro safely boarded Lupus, but his sight was cutoff as Andromeda sealed herself up once more, her face clanging loudly back into place as hydraulics screamed under the effort. The darkness enclosed both he and his partner for a brief moment, only retreating when the panoramic view flickered back into life around him. He hoped Hiro would be successful in his mission, and not just because it coincided with the success of his own mission.

Lupus stood before them, well within their personal space. She stepped back on her oddly-jointed legs and melted into the shadows of the cavern. He blinked and could no longer detect her on any visible wavelength that passed through Andromeda's ocular receivers. Not even the motion sensor detected her. Whomever had designed her had done their job well.

"Lupus, you know what to do." He couldn't detect the Franxx, but he trusted her to still be present.

"Fast and clean insertion. No alarms. No mistakes." S174 replied efficiently across the net.

"Good. Let's move." The S.T.A.R.R.S set out, the sounds of battle drifting from ahead. They had taken an operational pause in order to reposition Hiro, but now they hurried to reinforce the Nines.

They ascended a staircase and S337 took a moment to appreciate the scale of it. It was perfectly sized for a Franxx, or a Moho-class, and this unnerved him. As far as he knew, this place was not made by human hands. It raised... questions, none of which he had no answers to.

They topped the staircase, finding themselves at the entrance to a chamber. An _empty_ chamber too. This wasn't the first time they had believed they were on the verge of entering combat, only to encounter no opposition. The innately inhuman- he refused to use the term 'alien' - construction employed throughout the area played hell with any acoustics, flinging whispers down hallways and dampening shouts to the point of inaudibility.

"Keep on the alert. I don't see any hostiles, but that doesn't mean anything this far behind enemy lines." He warned his squad.

They advanced through the chamber, as quietly as the monstrously-sized servos that animated their limbs permitted them too. Lupus prowled, at least she was supposed to be doing so, at the center of their formation, her cargo too precious to endanger. Aquila strode beside Andromeda, the elegant bardiche _Deliverance_ humming quietly in equally ornate hands. And Orion brought up the rear, her weapons straining to be unleashed in the near silence of what could easily be mistaken for a tomb. The bodies certainly aided in supporting such a theory.

Klaxosaurs, at least a score, had died here, crushed beneath the fury of the Nines and the floor was seeded with rapidly decomposing corpses, their shattered cores leaking bright magma onto the marbled ground. Pools of sticky ichor already marked where the first casualties had fallen, their life-essence spreading out like spilled paint across a black canvas. The most recently killed, those at the rear of the chamber, were still recognizable as the creatures they had once been in life; though their forms were already showing signs of bio-mechanical decomposition.

S337 turned his attention to the chamber itself, his practiced eye scanning for signs of an ambush or hidden chamber.

Vaunted archways lined the length of the chamber, supported by massive columns of carved, black-marble. Banners and tapestries decorated the otherwise austere masonry, bringing a little culture and life into an otherwise morbid hall. And all through the hall rung the clashing sounds of battle from further ahead. However, nothing stood out as abnormal, nothing that is, except for the mysterious origin of the entire area.

The S.T.A.R.R.S crossed the chamber without incident. Just like all the other eerie chambers they had passed through; each one had been left lifeless and cold by the Nines. There was nothing of great import, but S337 was sure that their post-battle footage would be studied and analyzed studiously by the higher ups. This environment was wholly unique and completely undocumented, a massive source of information that would busy APE scientists for decades, but all of it was ultimately irrelevant to his squad's current situation.

"Do you hear it, S337?" His partner's voice stopped him in his thoughts.

"Hear what?"

"Nothing. Literally. The battle sounds have ceased." She was right. He listened, straining his ears, but he could not detect the sounds any more.

"Alright, everyone form up on Andromeda. This is for real this time." He said to his squad.

"That's what you said last time, S337." S074 whined across the net. This was the first time she had spoken since her informal reprimand, and he was silently glad she sounded fine. Despite her tendency to deviate from the norm, she brought a lot of life into the squad with her persistently enthusiastic attitude. The equally persistent threat of incineration was a small price to pay to have her as his comrade.

"We must treat every new area as one with an overwhelming hostile presence. Isn't that right, S337?" Aquila's stamen chimed in.

"Exactly. But, this time is different. I'm sure of it. Everyone be at the ready. Lupus-"

"I understand." Said a voice that drifted across the net from no particular point of origin. Damn, Lupus was far better at disappearing than she had been in the simulations.

"All right." Andromeda turned, facing up the shaft that lead to the next chamber. "Here we go."

Andromeda was the first, charging up the steep incline, brandishing their blade before them. Aquila and Orion followed close behind, their own weapons at the ready. Lupus did as she had been instructed, blending with the shadows near the wall and spacing herself from the group immediately upon entering. Assuming that the other three Franxxs stole the attention, she would pass by unnoticed.

They found themselves in a massive chamber, constructed in the likeness of a gargantuan cylinder. The walls stretched into the darkness far above them, disappearing from mortal and mechanical sight. The ceiling was no where to be seen. But, that wasn't his primary concern. No, his attention was drawn to the center of the chamber.

S337's eyes widened at the scene before them. It was impossible. Simply impossible.

"No," he heard S428 whisper, barely audible within their cockpit. "This... this can't be."

In the middle of the chamber, triumphantly standing over the prone form of a decapitated 9 Model, was the Praetorian. In one clawed hand did it hold the head of the Franxx, the shredded spinal column leaking magma and vital coolant upon the ground. In the other hand it wielded a weapon similar to a polearm, the end of the shaft buried into the corpse beneath it. And, as if to add insult to injury, another 9 Model head had been impaled upon one of the primary quills that ran from the creature's back, like some grisly adornment.

"It killed them... it killed _both_ of them... t-that... bastard!" S428 exclaimed. He was caught off guard for a moment by her emotional response. She was _never_ like this. Even when she had disciplined Orion, she had done it in her professionally detached manner.

That's when he noticed what lay _behind_ the creature. He had almost missed it, for it was painted in similar fashion as its former squadmates. Upon a raised altar, in an unmoving state, lay their main objective: Strelizia.

"I.. tried... to... talk... I... tried." The voice was harshly deep, like a tectonic plate grinding against its neighbor. Every syllable spoken sent his bones trembling with vibrations. His eyes widened as he realized where the voice was coming from.

"No...," he muttered, unable to come to a logical conclusion. A male member of his squad, he wasn't sure whom for his attention was understandably elsewhere, completed his thought for him.

"It's speaking. The Praetorian is speaking."

As difficult as this was to accept, it was the truth.

"I... on... ly... wished... to... speak... to... come... to... an... under...stand... ing... to... show... them... a... mercy." The Klaxosaur's speech was slow, stilted even, as if it was not used to speaking. S337 could very well believe that this _was_ the first time it had ever spoken. After all, Klaxosaurs _didn't_ speak. They were monsters, and displayed the crudest, most instinctual of intelligence levels. But they did not speak. They _never_ spoke. But this one was doing just that, in clear defiance of everything they understood about Klaxosaurs.

"I... tried... to... speak... with... them... but... they... sought... on... ly... blood." The Praetorian had been gazing into the eyes of the head that it held, as if it were willing it to life. However, as it spoke its head swiveled to look at them, gem-like eyes briefly flashing crimson as it raised the severed head into the air. "They... found.. it." The claws, grotesquely huge things that nearly encircled the head completely, snapped shut like a vice, shattering the 9 Model head with horrific ease. Magma and shattered metal rained down from the hand as the Praetorian shook it clean, the gesture frighteningly similar to a human.

"How... fool... ish... of.. them... will... you... make... the... same... mis... take?" He briefly wondered how this creature had learned the tongue of man, but dismissed the question as irrelevant. He would let the higher ups find that out when they dissected and/or interrogated this creature. His mission was far more simpler, thankfully.

"Let us end this _creature_ ," his partner said, Andromeda already responding to her rage as it took a single step forward. He hauled on the controls, ending their advance before it even began.

" **No**! Wait, just wait. We need to buy Lupus more time. We also have to lure it away from Strelizia."

"To hell with that, it just executed the 9s in front of our very eyes! I'll show it some blood!" His partner lost all semblance of rationality, falling into a blind rage after witnessing the death of their comrades. He felt Andromeda beneath him respond to her, struggling within his grip as any semblance of restraint was thrown to the side by S428.

"S428 stand down!" He yelled within their cockpit, careful not to share their current argument with the rest of their comrades. "Stand down! Do you hear me?!"

She actually stopped, the entire machine around him seeming to freeze with its flesh-half. Slowly, she turned to face him. Glacial eyes, ripped straight from a Klaxosaur's face, affixed him with a paralyzing stare. "What did you say?"

"I said stand down, dammit! You're getting far too emotional. We can't just barge in like the 9s did. We have a mission to fulfill."

His partner looked at him, but there was no sign of her registering his words. But, after a moment, he saw her emptiness crack as he broke through to her. A complicated display of emotional expressions played across her face, none of which he had ever seen upon her face before. The procession ended as quickly as it had began and suddenly she was the same pistil he had always known and respected.

"What do you suggest we do then?"

"We talk to it."

"You can't be serious. It's a Klaxosaur, it cannot be reasoned with." She said with her usual, emotionally vacant voice. He felt relieved beyond words as he heard the familiar tone.

"And yet, we have to try something. I'm not saying we have to reason with it though, just entertain it for a bit. We have to distract it if Hiro is to have any chance. Stalling is our best option here." Their conversation was now being broadcast to the others, ensuring all of their comrades understood what was about to happen. For the first time in recorded history, a parasite was going to talk to a Klaxosaur.

"We will speak with you, uhm," he had no idea what to call it. Every name he had associated the creature with was derogatory. He decided using such terms would only be counterproductive to what he was trying to achieve. He was being diplomatic, after all.

The Praetorian didn't seem to care, or even notice this lack of proper address. "Good... that... is... good... I... have... many... ques... tions... that... you... shall... an... swer."

He didn't really care to answer any of this _thing's_ questions, but then again he was just buying time. "Alright. Only if you answer a few of mine."

"This... is... accep... table." A long pause passed, the moment filling with tension as neither side moved or acted. "Are... you...chil...dren?"

The question hit him harder than he had expected. How could it _possibly_ understand what children were? A Klaxosaur shouldn't even be able to comprehend the difference between a human adult and a child; nonetheless he answered the question with honesty. "Yes. We are all children."

The Praetorian hung its head, slowly shaking it from side to side, as if it were ashamed of this revelation. "How... re... gret... table... it... is... as... I... feared... their... blood... is... on... my... hands." It snapped its elongated head back up, staring intently at Andromeda once more. "Whom... do... you... serve?"

"Serve?" The question confused him. How much did this Klaxosaur understand about humanity? "Our lives belong to Papa, and Him alone."

"Pa... pa...? A... ty... rant... then... how... so... like... man...kind... to... not...," he watched as its head wrenched violently to the side before slowly tracking back to them, "change... even... af... ter... all... this... time..."

" **NO!** " S428's voice snarled from Andromeda's external speakers, echoing throughout the chamber. "You do not know what you speak of, monster! Papa is not a tyrant. He is the savior of humanity. He is the one that will guide our species to salvation, in this life and the next! So don't you dare slander His name!"

"S428! Remember what we are hear for," he hissed at his partner through the cockpit so that no one else could hear. "We are only buying time for Hiro, if that means Papa being slandered by this monster, then we have to accept it. _Nothing_ else matters but the mission!"

His partner, much credit to her self-discipline, instantly silenced herself, hanging her own head in shame. Something was definitely off about her today. She didn't normally become emotional. Actually, he had never even seen her raise her voice before today. How odd. He chalked it down to the stresses of live combat.

The Praetorian was producing a harsh, coughing sound like an ancient combustion engine revving into life. It took S337 a moment to realize that it was _laughing_ at his partner's impassioned response.

"Hargh... hargh... hargh... hargh... monster? A... curious... choice... of... words... she... called... her... self... a monster... too."

"Who? Who called herself a monster?" He asked the Praetorian as its head twitched erratically to the side.

"Ironic... that... we... are... all... monsters... in... this... world...," it raised its head to the sky, peering into the darkness above; though that veil was impenetrable even to Andromeda's night vision. When it didn't seem to wish to continue the conversation, he ventured with a question.

"I am S337. Who-," he hesitated to ask the question, for it implied that he was speaking with an equal being, "-are you?"

"My... name... is... not... rele... vant... _child_." It replied, its attention snapping back to Andromeda.

"Why did you abduct Strelizia and Code 002?" He demanded.

"She... is... the... key... to... sal... va...tion." It replied cryptically as its gaze wondered briefly to the other members of his squad. It lingered for a moment longer on Orion than it had upon Aquila.

"What does that even mean?"

"I... asked... her... that... my... self." The Praetorian didn't care to elaborate upon this either, simply affixing Andromeda with its predatory gaze once more. "Why... did... you... come... here... _child_?"

"We came to rescue our comrade. The one you _stole_."

"She... does... not... be... long... to... you... or... any... one... she... walks... her... own... path... whe... ther... it... leads... to... sal... va... tion... or... dam... na... tion... is... to... be... seen..." Once again, he lost its attention as the head moved to stare at some random point within the chamber. He couldn't decide if its lack of focus was because it sensed Lupus stalking about or if it wasn't quite right in the head.

"You forcefully ripped her away from her duty, dragging her to this place. That's the very definition of stealing."

The Praetorian shrugged its massive pauldrons, the all-too human gesture sending a shiver down his spine. "A... mat... ter... of... per... spec... tive... then... do... you... real... ly... expect... to... 'rescue'... her... with... on... ly... three... of... you?"

He smiled at those last few words. His plan had worked perfectly, the Praetorian having only detected the three of them before it whilst Lupus remained hidden. Just as planned. Now, if they could just find a way to lure it from its position above Strelizia...

"There aren't many of us, but, technically speaking, we outnumber you three-to-one. The numerical advantage is ours, so if I were you I would surrender or run. Just saying." He had no intention of letting the Praetorian walk away free, but he would say anything in the hopes that it would drop its guard, if only for a moment.

"Hargh... hargh... hargh... hargh... hargh... hargh," it was laughing again, the sound rolling through the chamber like a storm cloud. "You... are... mistaken... child... we... are not... alone." The creature swept its free-hand dramatically about the chamber, and suddenly everything happened at once.

"Contacts! Contacts everywhere!" S555's high-picthed voice lit up the comm channel. Tearing his attention from the Praetorian, he stole a glance at the movement sensor.

Aquila's pistil was right. The contacts _were_ everywhere. They were even- this couldn't be right, but it looked like they were on _top_ of them? That was impossi- he glanced up as he realized it too late. What he saw froze his blood in his veins.

Dozens, perhaps even scores, of sapphire eyes peered down at him from the dark. The cold points of light moved silently through the dark, their forms indistinct and unknowable within the shadows above.

"Oh, hell...," he heard Orion's stamen swear across the net.

"It appears that we have been outmaneuvered, lead. Anything to say?" Jeered Aquila's stamen in his most condescending tone. How he retained such an air of superiority in the midst of an ambush was a testament to his monumental arrogance.

The Praetorian spoke again, this time its words were mocking and infinitely more chilling than the sudden appearance of the hostiles. "Did you really think you were the only one stalling for time?" The monster's voice was the same, but the tone had changed drastically. Gone was the stilted manner of its stuttering speech, replaced by the fluency it had managed to conceal until this very moment. He realized he had walked them all right into a trap, lulled into a false sense of security by the Praetorian's supposedly dull mental state.

"I say this once, and only once. Lay down your arms and give me the dark-haired boy. I will allow the rest of you to leave with your lives."

Andromeda stepped forward, brandishing her serrated-sword with both hands. S428 spoke before he could stop her, "Not going to happen, _monster_. We have a mission, and we're not leaving until it's finished."

The Praetorian nodded, accepting this statement. "Foolish. But noble, in its own misguided way. I suppose then, that this concludes our negotiations. I'm truly grateful that they were brief."

The Praetorian pounced with a howl, swinging its bladed weapon in a wide, sweeping arc. At the same moment, the Klaxosaurs above dropped into the melee, screaming their madness alongside their champion.

In the dark, light-less depths of the world, a battle began that would usher in a new era for the entire world, no matter the victor.

* * *

She leaned back in the cradle, staring at the ceiling of her Franxx. Questions crisscrossed through her mind, like endless threads of woven uncertainty. Whenever she looked to deeply into one though, catching it with the invisible grip of her mind, it would unravel before her, falling away into nothing. She was conflicted, entangled by indecision and uncertainty.

One question still managed to plague her thoughts every second. It was the center of her conflicted mind, the ground zero of all her fears and hesitations. It burned itself into her, searing through her consciousness like molten iron.

What was Code 002?

Was she human? She couldn't be. She had hurt so many people over her life time, and that had been _before_ she had even hurt her darling. She had been the cause of so much pain, so much suffering, so much _death_ over the years for so many parasites. For so many _humans_. She couldn't possibly be one if that was how she had treated them.

Sure, she could have consoled herself with the reasoning that she was only doing her job, but that was a poor excuse. She could have said 'no', all those years ago when Papa had asked her to pilot Strelizia. But, she hadn't. She could have said no after the first partner's death, for no one had expected that to happen and the fault was not her's. Even after the second time it had happened, she could still have said no, for it appeared as entirely coincidental, and nothing more. She didn't have a reputation as the partner killer yet. But, after the first dozen failed, and it was scientifically verified that her unique biology was the cause, she could still have said no and that would have been enough to preserve the next hundred lives or so. But, she hadn't. And now that blood was on her hands.

So, why had she piloted Strelizia? Why had she fought when she knew it would always end with her partner dying? The answer was a terrifyingly selfish one. She had wanted to become a human.

She had always believed that she could become a human simply by killing Klaxosaurs. Why? Because they were monsters, and if she killed all the monsters, then the only survivors would be humans, right? That's how Papa had explained it to her, in terms so plain that even she had understood at her young age. It was all perfectly rational. It was all so _simple_. So easy to _understand_. It was all so... _childish_. And it was just that, a child's fantasy.

There was no way she could ever be human, not truly. She would always be different from them- the humans- no matter how many times she fought alongside them. It didn't matter how many Klaxosaurs she killed. It never mattered what she did, because she would forever be tainted. Her blood was the same color as the monsters she killed. Her horns were formed of the same material as their armored flesh. Her very biology was toxic to humans, ensuring the deaths of her partners just as solidly as if she had murdered them with her bare hands.

She hated herself, utterly repulsed by her very form. She hated the horns, those indicators of her inhumanity that could never be hidden. She hated the blood pumping through her heart, as blue as the acidic oceans that covered three quarters of the world. She hated her body, even if it outperformed the human form in every aspect.

Papa had taken notice of this self hatred years ago.

Papa, ever the 'benevolent' ruler, became concerned for his most favored daughter. And so, he had helped her. Her skin pigmentation had been artificially altered, treated and maintained by a complicated assortment of chemicals injected on a regular basis. Her blood had changed as well, filtered regularly through an advanced, synthetic circulatory system so that it became the same dark crimson of a human's. Her horns, those vile things, had even had their growth stunted by a neural dampener. It was all that could be done and it had all been done for _he_ _r_. And it was all a _lie_.

Every time she went in for 'maintenance' she felt like an experiment gone horribly wrong. Chemicals were pumped endlessly into her whilst machines monitored her vitals. Biometrics were recorded and cataloged like she _was_ an experiment. She was often forced to suffer through a plethora of invasive- not to mention painful- medical tests that would have violated many of the archaic ethics of humanity. And all of this was suppose to 'help' her become human, but all it did was further distance her from the species she so idealized.

Her partners still died. Their broken, desiccated corpses serving as powerfully morbid reminders of her inhumanity.

But now, after all these years of self-loathing and an aching, horrible fear that she would never become human, something had changed. Something that had completely evolved her entire point of view of what it meant to be human.

Code 002 had come face to face with a true monster.

The creature that called itself 'Samael' was a horror in its own league. Not only was his grotesque form a vivid portent of things to come, but his words had been a revelation to her, as odd as that was to admit. What he had said was true enough though, she understood that now. Monsters were not, in fact, characterized by their appearance, as she had always been led to believe by those she trusted most in this world. No, the truth was far more complicated than that.

Monsters were created by their own actions.

After all this time, she finally understood what that meant. After all the years of watching as her partners died before her and knowing the entire time she could have ended their suffering simply by refusing to pilot with them, she realized she had made a foolish mistake. After all those years of selfishly exploiting those around her in order to obtain that which she sought more than anything else in the world, she realized just exactly what she had really been doing all that time. After all those years of trying to _become_ human, she had finally realized that she could always have _been_ human, if only she could have abandoned her selfish, sinful desires. But, she hadn't. And now she _was_ a monster, right down to her very core.

That was her answer. That was the answer she had arrived at after all this thinking. She was a monster, and it was her own damn fault. All of the deaths she had caused were because of what she had desired. That was what defined a monster, after all. A monster was willing to sacrifice everyone else for its own selfish ends. And she had definitely done just that. She could no longer deny what she was on the inside, but she hadn't been born this way. No, she had willingly become this, this _thing_ that dared called itself a girl. This _monster_ that had the audacity to pretend it was merely a human.

However, just as Samael had shown her the truth of what she was, so too had he shown her a way out.

She had become a monster through her actions, but what if there was a way to stop the process? She didn't believe for a single instant that she could be forgiven for what she had done, but what if there was a way to avoid ever making the same mistakes again? What if there was a way to prevent losing the one she loved most in this world?

There was only one way to do that. Only a single way to deny the bloody path set before her. It was so simple, but it would be the hardest thing she would ever have to do. It would require all of the discipline she could muster. It would require every last ounce of her formidable willpower. And it would ultimately go against everything she had ever known.

She could no longer pilot Strelizia. Not if the cost was losing everything she held close.

She had long thought the machine to be her wings. Her way to escape from all her worries. But now she saw the truth of it all. Strelizia was what shackled her to this wretched existence, bound to a life of never-ending bloodshed. Coupled with her unique biology, it became the ultimate weapon for neither man nor Klaxosaur could weather her wrath. Nothing could stand before her when Strelizia was at her command. But, neither could anyone stand _with_ her, for all that power demanded a heavy price, one far too heavy to pay. And she was never the one to pay it. Always the one she rode with took that toll. That is, until _he_ had shown himself.

Her darling was the first of many things to her. He was the first to stand with her. The first to survive piloting with her. The first one to offer her a smile. The first one to reach his hand out to her. The first one to look at her not as a monster, but as a fellow human being. The first one that seemed to be immune to Strelizia's price. After so many years, she had thought she had found _someone_ that made life worth living.

And then she had gone and thrown it all away. She had failed her darling, endangering not only his life, but those of his friends as well. And all in the name of her own selfish desires. She truly was a monster.

She looked around the cockpit, her eyes drinking in the all-too familiar scene of an empty command module. There was no one but her within this metal beast and she was utterly alone. She hated it. The loneliness. The feeling of having nothing in this world to call her own. It reminded her all to much of the bare, lifeless room that had been her entire world at Garden. It had been that way until he had shown up, a hand outstretched and welcoming like nothing ever had before. She had known true happiness after that, but only for a brief time. And then he had been taken from her and her slow devolution into a monster had commenced. It was a miracle that they had found each other again, and it was a cruel, but fitting, punishment that she had lost him just as quickly. Tears welled up within her eyes as she realized that she would never again experience anything even close to that joy of having him in her life.

Code 002 leaned back in her cradle and stared at the blank ceiling as crystal tears slipped from her eyes. She angrily shut them in a futile effort to stem the leakage, but such things would not be denied. Alone and afraid, her heart full of self-hatred and her mind drenched in self-pity, a young girl cried as her spirit finally snapped. In the silence, she promised herself that she would never again let her desires hurt those she cared for.

Her melancholy was momentarily interrupted as the muted sounds of battle drifted in from beyond the hull. Normally, a Franxx was designed to be sound proof, but that was rarely the case when Klaxosaurs began to scream.

Code 002 didn't move. She should have acted, waking Strelizia and charging into battle, but she knew better now. She knew not to freely indulge her desires, for that would only see more humans dead. And she absolutely refused to be the cause of _his_ death.

She looked at her hands. They were shaking; though she couldn't say why. She tried to hold them steady. Was it fear that made her quake? Of what? Of whom? Or was it hatred, pure and simple? Of what? Of whom? Who was more of a monster, Samael, with his twisted form and unfathomable hatred, or her, with her twisted past and countless sins? Was there even a difference? They were both capable of abominable actions against humans, so how could they be all that different from each other? He was merely further ahead on the same path she had always feared to tread. She truly was just a 'little one' compared to him. She realized that he would never even have to lift a finger to hurt her darling. It was only a matter of time until _she_ did it.

She curled her hands into fists. Leaning forward, she placed her head upon her knuckles, sobbing as grief, shame, and so much self-loathing overwhelmed her fragile heart. It was a mistake.

Her knuckles brushed against her horns, and suddenly hate swelled within her heart. She howled, not unlike the monsters she shared blood with, and slammed her fists against the console before her. She raged again, slamming her clenched fists into the console over and over as she screamed obscenities at the top of her lungs.

" **DAMN IT! DAMN HIM! DAMN IT! I HATE IT! I HATE HIM! I HATE IT ALL!** " She screamed her rage at her inhuman form. She screamed her hatred at the machine that bound her to a life of endless bloodshed. She screamed her hatred of the creature that called itself Samael. And she screamed at the world that did not care for her. Her outburst continued until she became too exhausted to continue.

Code 002 visibly sagged within her cradle as the rage bled away as quickly as it had come. She buried her face in her hands and the tears flowed just as easily as moments before. Her fingers graced her horns, but this time she couldn't care less. In fact, she didn't care about anything anymore. She didn't care that the sounds of battle had grown distant. She didn't even care when the hatch to her command module opened from the exterior. She didn't even care enough to notice the figure slip into the cockpit.

The slim figure stumbled across the threshold, barely managing to catch itself from falling over. They walked with a slight limp, and their uneven footsteps were what gave them away.

Code 002 finally looked up, snapping from her well of self-pity. She scowled at this latest intruder within her cockpit.

Code 002 stood up, advancing upon the mystery figure as she readied herself for a fight, the hatred for everything she had felt moments before surging to the fore. It blinded her to the identity of the new arrival, and she could not have cared less as to the truth of their identity. The figure acted as an unwilling focus point for her rage as she simply sought an outlet for her pain. Adrenaline spiked and her fists clenched hard, nails digging painfully into her palms. She bared her fangs and her eyes narrowed to daggers as she advanced on the silhouette. But the figure matched her advance and stepped into the light.

She froze in her tracks.

His face was streaked with traces of dried crimson and his dark hair was matted with sweat. His parasite suit was damaged, his uniform ripped and torn and even singed in some places. He walked with a limp, favoring his right leg, but whether it was from exhaustion or an injury was unknown to her. Overall, he looked pretty miserable except for one, piercing feature that managed to steal her breath away.

His eyes shone brilliantly as they reflected the poor light of the cockpit. Like diamonds they sparkled, a hint of the boy's formidable willpower shining through. Those bright, ice-blue irises would have frozen anyone in their tracks with their sheer intensity, but this was not the reason she had halted her advance. She had stopped because the stare was not one of contempt like she had expected. Nor was it filled with an understandable- and completely valid- hatred for her. No, his gaze shone with something far more powerful. His eyes were filled with love.

Code 002 felt tears well up within her own eyes as she realized that the love was for _her,_ and her alone.

"D-...Darling...?" she barely managed to eek out. Her mouth felt like it was full of cotton and her throat was tight with fear, her head swimming as she tried to process his sudden appearance.

"02...," Hiro spoke softly as he moved closer to her, walking as if he were entranced.

" **No**! Stay away from me!" She tried to turn away, to hide her shame from the one she loved so dearly, but she couldn't find the strength to do so. His eyes upon her were the sole reason she was even able to keep her footing, for her legs trembled at his mere presence.

"02...," he said once more, not a hint of reproach or hatred within his voice. Somehow, the fact that she only felt concern from him was far worse than had he come to condemn her actions. Surely, after what she had done to him, he could not have come to do otherwise. And yet, his eyes held no falsehoods within them. He had come for her, and her alone.

This realization was what finally lent her limbs strength and she hurriedly backed away. She raised her hands, warding him away from her. "No! Please, don't come any closer. Please, just stay away... just stay away from me..." she began to cry, her very soul fracturing at the unbelievable words that spilled from her mouth. But, she had to warn him. He couldn't be near her. The cost was too high.

For the first time since entering Strelizia, Hiro hesitated, withdrawing as he saw the despair that assailed his beloved 02. "02? What's wrong? Are you okay? You're not hurt are you?" He was no longer advancing through the cockpit, but he held up his arm, his hand reaching out to her, imploring her to come with him, just like he had so long ago. When she did not immediately move to him, he became horribly concerned. "Or, are you afraid? Of what? Of me?" He frowned, overcome with grief that she was clearly so distraught. What could have happened to his 02 to reduce her to this?

She backed up even further, retreating from the outstretched hand. No. No. **No**. As badly as she wished she could take his outstretched hand, she just couldn't. Not if she wanted him to live. "Stay away from me... please... I don't want you to... to d-...," try as she might, she simply couldn't form the word. To even think of permanently losing her darling was enough to sink her heart into an abyss of eternal despair. And, if she ever spoke of such a possibility, then it implied that it could become reality. That was unacceptable. And so, she retreated from him because it was better than the alternative.

"To what? To see you? To know you?" A particularly large boom sounded from the exterior, but both occupants ignored it. "To love you?"

Hiro shook his head, his dark hair spilling about like midnight made manifest."I'm not afraid of you, 02. You're not a monster. I know now that I made a mistake when I called you that. I should never have said such a cruel thing, but I was scared and humans do stupid things when they are scared. It still doesn't excuse what I did to you though. Especially since you were just as scared too. I failed you, 02, and I can never apologize enough for that." She couldn't resist him or his words. His concern for her was something she had never faced before in her life. She didn't know how to react to such honest affection, and so, she responded the only way she knew how. She retreated even more, withdrawing into the machine that had always been her sanctuary and her prison. She backed up too far though and bumped into the empty cradle, unable to retreat further.

Hiro approached his beloved cautiously, painfully aware of her skittishness brought about by his presence. This was all his fault. He had condemned her actions when he should have sought only to understand them instead. If only he had realized that speaking such words would only lead to pain. There was nothing he could do to change what had been done, but he could do something to alleviate the pain he had caused. He stopped, a mere meter away from her, careful not to impose too much upon her. "02," he begin with some hesitation, "you once asked me what love is. The truth is... I didn't really know back then. I thought it was just about getting to know someone, but I think there is more to it than that." He began to grow more confident as he spoke to her. "Love is... complicated. More so than than I could ever imagine. It's definitely not something we learned at Garden or something the adults gave us. It's not something I can even look up within a book from the library. But, thanks to you, I think I'm finally beginning to understand what it means to love someone. It doesn't just mean getting to know someone in the literal sense. It means you _understand_ the things you know about someone, like why they enjoy copious amounts of honey or why they fear being alone. It means you _understand_ their actions without ever having to ask. It means you _understand_ their feelings before they even understand their own. Maybe not at all times will this be the case, but I believe it is enough that those in love at least _try_ to understand each other. That's why I'm here, 02. Because, I want to understand you better. All of you: your greatest desires, your most valued hopes, your darkest fears, and your deepest regrets. All of it. I want to be with you, 02, until the day I die, and I want to share everything with you until that day comes. Just like I promised all those years ago in Garden, because, well, I love you, more than anything. I love you, 02." He confessed his feelings as he slowly reached out to her, and this time she did not pull away, instead remaining rooted to the spot, transfixed by his words.

"Y-you... love me?" She asked hesitantly. Those words nearly broke her. He loved her, just as she loved him. Her heart shattered as she realized the awful futility of ever trying to run from him, to shun him in order to save his life. He loved her and would never stop trying to be with her. Even if it killed him. And that was the most horrific part of it all. It _would_ kill him. "If that is true, if you truly care for me, then you must leave me."

Hiro scrunched his face in confusion, "02? What do you mean?"

It was her turn to advance towards him, taking his hand in hers. She rubbed it affectionately, savoring the physical contact with the only soul who had ever said such kind words to her, for she knew it would soon be a fleeting sensation in her memory. She met his gaze, her own eyes like emeralds in the weak light as she smiled sadly. "I mean exactly that, my darling. You can't stay here with me, because if you do, you will die. And I can't let that happen. Because, I..." she couldn't say it, for if she did she would never let him leave. "I'm sorry, darling. I can't lose you..."

He reached up, his hand caressing her face as he took a step forward. "02..., what do you mean? How would I die?"

The tears struck again, welling up within the corners of her eyes and spilling down her face before she could stem them. "Because, _I_ would kill you."

"No," he shook his head, "no you wou-"

"Yes, I would!" She pulled away from her darling, turning to look elsewhere, unable to look him in the eyes a moment longer. The longer she stared into those depthless oceans the more she wanted him to be her's. "Don't you _see_? I've killed every partner I've ever had, and it was all for my own selfish desires! I refuse to be your end as well. I refuse to have your blood on my hands. I refuse to be the monster I've always been." She held her slim hands up before her, hating how perfectly feminine they were. A killer's hands, perfectly disguised like the monster they belonged to.

"I see no monster here. Only my beloved 02." Her darling always knew what to say to tug at her heart. Damn him.

"You only see what you wish to see. You don't see the monster on the inside. Just leave while you still can." She faced away from him as she hardened her heart. It was becoming far too difficult to even speak with him. "While I still let you…" She whispered so softly that he couldn't possibly hear her.

"I'm not afraid of you, 02. Maybe I was before, but not anymore. I won't simply abandon you. If you say you have a monster within you, then I accept it as a part of you."

02 turned to him, surprising herself with her tone. "This isn't something you can just dismiss! This is serious, Hiro. I _murdered_ my partners. They're dead because of _my_ actions. They're not dead because of the Klaxosaurs. They're not dead because they were fools in combat. They're dead because I _desired_ their deaths. And you know why? You know why I wanted them dead? Because, I thought their deaths would bring me just a little closer to being human, because every death allowed me to kill more and more of those monsters. I used them, drained them, and then discarded them, because that was how much value I placed on a human's life: none, because I simply saw them as a means to an end. But I was wrong! So, _very wrong_. I'm just as much of a monster as those beasts if I can use a human like that."

A particularly shrill cry filtered in from the outside realm, whether it came from the throat of a Klaxosaur or the simple tearing of metal was unknown. Both parasites ignored it, far too absorbed in their conversation to be bothered by it. The moment that followed was utterly silent, broken only when the stamen finally spoke.

"You're wrong, 02." He said with a determination like he had never felt before. "You're not a monster."

"Haven't you been listening? I am a mon-" she was cut off as Hiro gripped both her arms tightly, holding her before him and peering into her eyes.

" **NO**! 02, you are _not_ a monster. You're just a human that has made some mistakes and I've never been more sure of anything in my life. All that you've said, all the things you have confessed to, has lead me to understand your pain. You regret killing them all, don't you?"

She nodded weakly, wilting beneath his gaze. His grip tightened upon her arms.

"Then how could you possibly be a monster if you regret it so much? Would a monster care for the lives of humans? Would a Klaxosaur shed a single tear for a dead parasite? No. No, it would not. But you would. You're crying right now, for Papa's sake! You actually _care_ for what you did. You care under the misguided belief that you killed them. And you regret it all, so don't you dare call yourself a monster if you can still feel such things! How could you possibly be a monster if your biggest fear is losing me? The concern for another human being is the most human thing I can even imagine. Don't you see, 02? You _are_ human because you care."

"He said... he said the same thing to me. He called me weak because of it. He said that caring about others made me weak." She said timidly as her darling's words took her back to the sight of a dark mirror, eyes burning with cruelty.

Hiro was confused. "Who did?"

"A monster. He called himself Samael. He came from... somewhere, but he left to fight your friends. While he was here he said that caring for others made me weak. He threatened to kill you if I joined the fight. Do you see how weak I really am? I can't even do what I was made to do, to fight and kill, because I'm still following my own, selfish desires. I want you to live, my darling, so you cannot stay. You're safer the further from me you are."

Hiro shook his head. "This monster, this Samael, is wrong. Caring for others doesn't make us weak. It makes us _strong_ , stronger than we could ever be on our own. Why do you think I flew a gunship into a collapsing plantation? Why do you think I charged a Klaxosaur on foot? Why do you think I hitched a ride with a complete stranger and came all this way through kilometers of Klaxosaur infested tunnels? I did it for you, 02, because I care about _you_. Because I promised I would never leave you alone. Because I _love_ you. And now, I'm here, standing by your side. I swear I'll never leave you again, 02." He leaned in as his arms brought her closer, and then he kissed her.

She sunk into the kiss, eyes heavy with salt as her heart collapsed, falling for him just as easily as she had all those years ago. It was fulfilling, electrifying, inspiring, understanding, and so much more, all wrapped up in the purest expression of love she could possibly imagine. After a moment, he pulled away. She wasn't quite ready to let him go though and her arms wrapped about his torso tightly, holding their bodies together in an unbreakable embrace. Almost a full minute passed before she felt that she was strong enough to let him go, if only for a moment.

"You truly love me, don't you darling?" She asked of her sworn love, as she touched her forehead to his.

"I do." He whispered, nuzzling his head against her's. He felt her horns brush his hair aside. He loved that. It made her so much more special to him.

"You'll stay with me, no matter what?" She whispered back to him.

"I will. Not even death can keep me away from you, 02. I'll defy mortality itself to be with you. I promise."

"It will claim you, darling. If you stay with me, it will take you." Her face twisted into a grim smile as she reached for his hand, taking it in her's. "But it will have to take me as well. I love you, _Hiro_." She twisted her head and placed a kiss on his lips, sealing his fate for all eternity. They would die together, neither fate nor the monster Samael would ever be able to change that.

Once the kiss was over, neither of the parasites could do anything but stare at their beloved. An entire conversation flashed between their eyes. The sounds of battle from outside had not stopped. Parasites were in mortal danger out there, fighting tooth and nail against a true monster. There was no longer any time to waste upon themselves, for to do so would be selfish. Hiro spoke. "Will you ride with me, 02?" He offered the same hand he had always offered to her, and that he would always offer her.

She took it, and they walked hand-in-hand to the cradle as true partners. "To death and beyond, my darling, I will ride with you."

* * *

S337 yanked hard on the controls, steering Andromeda away from the Klaxosaur's clumsy blow. The overhead strike slammed into the ground with an ear-splitting _bang_ and he shuttered to think of the unholy power behind the blow.

Andromeda gave ground as the Klaxosaur ripped its limb from the ground and hurtled forward, once more swinging the grotesquely oversized limb that resembled a gnarled tree trunk more than it did an arm. Despite the ferocity with which the Klaxosaur possessed, it was a rather clumsy opponent.

The creature, probably a lesser Moho-class, was vaguely humanoid in appearance, walking upon two legs and possessing an equivalent number of arms. However, that is where the similarities ended. The thing was warped beyond reason- twisted even- as every limb seemed to be inexplicably out of proportion with its twin. The creature's right arm was a shriveled wreck clenched tightly to its chest whilst its left arm was larger than its torso, finger-less and joint-less below the elbow the thing was a crude, biological weapon. The Klaxosaur's legs were little different, one appearing 'normal' sized whilst the other was, more or less, an oversized pereopod that stabbed into the ground. But, the limbs weren't the worst part of the monster. Not by a long shot. No, that honor was reserved solely for the thing's face. It was fashioned in the likeness of a human with a hooked nose protruding from a broad, flat face whilst two beady eyes stared out at the world, a wrecked intelligence hiding deep within them. A lip-less mouth, packed with slab-like molars, grinned eternally, screaming in silence. The entire appearance was enough to unnerve any parasite, but that didn't stop him or his partner from driving Andromeda's serrated blade through the creature's eerie face and out the back of its protruding skull. They sawed upward, splitting through the skull before slicing back down, severing the rest of the Klaxosaur into two neat halves. It didn't make a sound as it died, as silent in death as it was in life.

"We didn't even find the core." S337 said to his partner as he realized the ugly thing was as good as dead. How could it be dead if the core was still active?

"Doesn't matter. Another one comes." His partner replied.

He tore his attention from their fallen foe, fully expecting it to reanimate shortly and stab them in the back, but his partner was correct that they could no longer afford to waste time upon a single opponent. A quick glance at the battlespace told him that the overall tactical situation was rather grim, the Klaxosaurs outnumbering his squad nearly five to one. Orion herself was embattled at worse odds than that upon the other side of the chamber, but she was holding the tide of horrors at bay with blade and flame. Aquila fared far better, twirling her ornate bardiche through the air with surprisingly lethal results as limbs and heads were severed with ease. As for Lupus or the Praetorian, he saw no sign of either nor did that seem likely to change. The scale-covered Klaxosaur with a whip of an arm screeching its way to meet them was his far more immediate concern.

Andromeda braced, allowing the Klaxosaur to batter its crackling tendril of a limb against her sword as she shoved it away. The power field of the serrated blade clashed with the electricity that arced around the Klaxosaur's weapon-arm, the resultant ionization of oxygen flaring brightly in the air between them for the briefest of moments. The creature stumbled backwards, shielding its hyper-sensitive eyes from the flash. Andromeda took full advantage of the momentary distraction, moving in and back handing her opponent, crimson spikes upon her knuckles tearing flesh and drawing blood. She followed up the brutal tactic by grabbing the creature and pulling it onto her blade, the orange metal bursting from the Klaxosaur's back in a spray of gore. Andromeda pulled her kill in a close embrace as it shuddered briefly in her arms before lapsing into the stillness of death.

S337 suddenly found that he had a perfect view of what lay beyond the whip-Klaxosaur. And if he knew, so too did his partner.

Andromeda twisted to the side, pulling her blade free from its organic sheath and swinging it to meet the humming halberd of the Praetorian. The weapons clashed as they met, magnetic fields collapsing and elemental forces entangling as they vied for dominance, only retreating when their handlers pulled them back.

The Praetorian backed away from Andromeda, bladed polearm swinging wildly as it opened the area between them. The two combatants circled each other warily, judging and sizing each other up as their attendant warriors battled in the background.

"You're head," the Praetorian growled as it mirrored Andromeda's pacing, "it has a pretty face. I will take it. It will have a place of honor."

S337 felt his eyes drawn inexorably to the 9 Model's head decorating one of the monster's quills. He would never let Andromeda's head be utilized in the same fashion. He would never allow such shame to befall him or his squad.

"You will fail, _demon_ ," his partner hissed in reply. She took the words straight from his mouth. "When you fall today I will be taking that cockpit back, as well as returning the honored bodies of the 9s to Papa with the full reverence due to such heroes."

The Praetorian cocked its elongated head at this. "You assume... that I left their bodies intact..."

S428 willed Andromeda to life, thrusters flaring in rage as she charged the Praetorian. Her serrated sword swung in a horribly obvious attack from overhead, the teeth leering for the creature's blood.

The Praetorian dodged to the side at the last instant, bringing its weapon up just before slamming the dense, studded ball upon the end into Andromeda's exposed side. The Franxx was sent reeling aside and the Praetorian followed, expertly twirling the halberd in a single hand to bring the blade to bear. Andromeda turned just in time to deflect the next strike; though she was caught off balance by the blow, staggering backwards. The Praetorian flowed smoothly into the next strike, twirling the weapon in a single hand before striking once more. Weapons clanged together again and the Praetorian advanced as Andromeda withdrew. The Praetorian expertly switched the weapon to the other hand, not missing a beat as it flowed skillfully into a third strike that resulted in the exact same outcome.

Andromeda had no choice but to give more ground beneath the Klaxosaur's relentless assault. However, so long as they weren't outright slaughtered in a single blow then the contest was far from over. They only needed an opening. And it came from an unlikely source.

An aberration of a Klaxosaur came barreling in from their flank on all four mismatched limbs. It leaped, a quad-clawed hand reaching for Andromeda, but it never arrived.

" **OURS**!" The jealous cry sounded from the Praetorian itself.

The Praetorian smashed into the new arrival, ripping it from the air and bashing it to the ground. The stronger beast roared and kicked the weaker specimen aside. The quadruped wailed as it suffered the abuse, but quickly gained its feet and scuttled away as its more dominant ally pounded its chest in a display of savage dominance.

S337 saw the opening, the Praetorian's back turned to them but just barely out of range of their sword. They had only one option.

Andromeda swiped with her sword, as if she could reach the Praetorian from where she stood. As the blade swung through the air, her stamen activated the blade's hidden feature. The segmented sword transformed mid-strike, the serrated sections splitting away from each other and extending their reach, remaining chained together only by a flexible, nanoalloy-based cable. The razor-whip cracked like lightening as it struck the backside of the Praetorian, tearing through flesh and sundering armor as well as drawing a high-pitched wail of agony from the tortured monster.

The Praetorian turned, facing Andromeda as she let the whip's momentum turn her, pivoting with it and bringing it back down to slash against the Praetorian's face. The creature howled and took an involuntary step back. Now the advantage lay with Andromeda and her vastly increased reach.

Several more strikes followed, Andromeda practically dancing as she twirled with the momentum, flowing into the chain of successive attacks. The Praetorian was forced back, desperately attempting to block the cracking whip, but to no avail.

One of the whip strikes missed, cracking loudly against the marbled ground but doing little more. The Praetorian capitalized on this opportunity, thrusters flaring brightly in the dark as it hurriedly closed the distance.

Andromeda smiled as her own thrusters responded, sending her into a graceful backflip whilst she struck with the whip again, stemming the Praetorian's advance just as she put distance between them. She landed safely, well within whip striking distance but far from halberd striking distance. She smiled smugly, her pistil satisfied that the Praetorian could be so easily outmaneuvered.

The halberd slammed into Andromeda's right shoulder like a javelin, tearing through sensitive neural links and locomotive systems. S428, despite all of her formidable discipline, screamed in agony as her right arm flared with nigh-unbearable pain for a moment before going completely numb.

"S428!" Her partner cried aloud. He hurriedly entered a command, severing the connection between the damaged arm and the rest of the Franxx. His eyes glanced at the view screen, watching as the Praetorian sprinted towards them, its massive bulk leaning forwards at full tilt as it advanced completely unarmed. The bloody thing had _thrown_ its only weapon at them in a desperate bid to achieve the advantage. But, he was forced to admit that it had worked.

"S428! Grab the weapon with your left hand." He said as patiently as he could. Andromeda's right arm had gone completely slack, the handle of her weapon gripped in loose fingers. The Praetorian was almost upon them already. "Hurry!" His voice became panicked as death itself charged them.

S428 screwed her jaw shut, wincing at the pain within her arm. It felt like she had actually been impaled. It hurt. It hurt like a bitch. But, she would be damned in the eyes of Papa if she gave in to such a mundane thing as pain.

Andromeda reached for her fallen weapon, but the Praetorian reached her first. The Klaxosaur took ahold of its own weapon- still embedded within Andromeda's arm- and pushed it the rest of the way through, the blade severing the remainder of the arm in a clumsy amputation. The arm fell alongside the halberd as the Praetorian ignored both, continuing its charge and slamming bodily into Andromeda herself. The two combatants tumbled together, limbs flailing about as they sought to achieve the dominant position; though with only one arm to her name, Andromeda was hopelessly outmatched.

The Praetorian pinned the black knight to the ground, its fanged maw hanging wide just above her faceplate. Andromeda found that she could not move, her only arm now pinned by the creature's own. Its other arm was free to move though, and it slapped the claw against her face, the talons digging into the metal and wrenching her head until she stared into the crystalline eyes of a monster. There was no compassion or sympathy within that gaze, and not a hint of mercy. Just cold, calculating cruelty wedded with awful malice.

"Now...," the voice rumbled from deep within the beast's throat, "... now I find out what is behind that pretty, pretty face."

* * *

The Crimson Maiden awoke from her eons long banishment within the sepulchre.

Two souls, bonded together by their emotional core, awakened the slumbering heart of a long-dormant machine built only for war in the ages long before mankind ever walked upright. Almost immediately they were under assault, assailed not by an enemy, but by information of every type and form, most of which would be unquantifiable by a human mind. But, then again, neither soul was tethered to a genetically _pure_ human. Nor where they alone any longer.

Technically speaking, no single sentient mind- no matter the species of origin- should ever have been able to receive, process, and act upon the incoming data at such a vast intake rate. But, combine the neural capacity of _two_ sentient beings, and suddenly the impossible was well within reach. That's why two parasites were needed for piloting a Franxx. The pistil acted as a receiver and processor for the incoming data whilst the stamen analyzed and acted upon it. The stronger the connection the two beings shared the more stable the data flow could become. This resulted in a steady- albeit flawed- process of mutual cooperation that fluttered between sixty-five to eighty-five percent para-capacity. Most parasite pairs only ever managed to achieve this average and nothing more due to the inherent limitations of the fragile human form. The Nines often fared far better, reaching the low nineties on average, but even they could never hope to max out. As in all things however, humanity could _overcome_ its biological limitations in the proper conditions.

It was theorized- by Dr. Franks no less- that at a one-hundred percent synchronization rate the two pilot's neural networks would merge, becoming a single, indistinguishable neural net through which traffic could pass instantly. This network, of which he dubbed 'wet', would mesh with the synthetic neural net embedded within the Franxx's own core, dubbed the 'dry', which spread throughout the entire body. Only then would the Franxx respond as if it were an extension of them rather than a shackled puppet of steel. Only then could the iron maiden's true, and terrifying, potential be unleashed.

Theoretically speaking, this state of perfect synchronization could be achieved by any parasite team. Once completed, they would cease to be parasites though, instead merging with their Franxx on the neural level and earning a new classification as they did so: symbiotes. All three entities would then be able to act in perfect harmony as a singular, gestalt consciousness that was equal in both giving and receiving. An uninterruptable system of perfect coexistence and cooperation. At least, that is what Dr. Franks had theorized, and he was the leading expert within the field of bio-mechanics. Practically speaking though, no parasite team had ever achieved such a feat.

Until now.

The entity raised their left hand in front of their face. Fingers curling slowly inwards as they tested the response. It felt _real_ to them. It didn't feel like they were controlling it in the mechanical sense. Instead, it felt like an extension of them, as easy to move as any portion of their biological forms. They smiled, mechanical and biological faces mirroring each other perfectly.

They reached down, placing their palm upon the altar-like platform that they had awoken upon. It was smooth to the touch, but utterly cold and lifeless. The fact that they could feel such things through the mechanical limb suggested they had advanced far beyond what they had believed was possible to achieve as Franxx parasites. And they had done it together.

Their right hand curled around their spear as they rose. It had a reassuring weight to it and lifting it required no extreme effort on their part. They lifted the weapon and wielded it in both hands. Their gaze centered upon the creature with its wide back enticingly exposed to them, its massive bulk pinning Andromeda to the ground.

+Are you ready, darling?+

+With pleasure, my love. +

What happened next decided the battle for the Gran Crevasse.

* * *

S337 grunted in pain, his face twisting into an ugly grimace. His body ached from the abuse the Praetorian had thrown out, but now was no time to complain. He had bigger problems.

He reached up, tugging away his helmet and promptly discarded it. The thing would undoubtedly become a hazard should they perform any aerial maneuvers, but the visor had cracked, rendering it useless. It was better to just get rid of it. It no longer served a purpose. He shook his dark, sweat-matted hair free as his eyes adjusted to a non-digitized view. The sight before him was not as promising as he had hoped.

The massive maw of the Praetorian hung menacingly above the cockpit, copious amounts of drool sloughing out and splattering down upon their faceplate. He thanked Papa's foresight in that Andromeda was void-sealed, immune to the torments of even an orbital drop, and was thus immune to the sickening gruel that drenched his Franxx. He would remain dry today.

A crimson alert appeared on his console, warning him of an active biohazard with a shrill cry. A quick scan of the text informed him that the drool was not simply excess moisture, but was a low-grade acid in reality. He rolled his violet eyes and bemoaned his luck just as the final seals dissolved and the acid began its inevitable creep into the cockpit.

"Oh, this is just _wroooong_." He exclaimed loudly, but his partner was no longer paying attention to him. She was staring dead ahead, the pistil-hood she wore retracted fully, allowing him to view her luminous, blonde hair. It was so perfectly straight, completely untouched by dirt or grime so much so that it gave her an almost angelic appearance, and he briefly entertained that fantasy despite their dire predicament. Her words snapped him back into the awful reality of the situation.

"S337. We have a problem." He could see that she was right about that.

The Praetorian was dangling a claw above them, a single sharpened digit looming dangerously close to their faceplate. The finger descended, growing significantly larger just before the entire front quarter of their screen went black. The previously two-dimensional image became three-dimensional as the finger penetrated Andromeda's hull, spearing from the broken screen in an awful screech of tearing metal.

S337 flinched, hauling upon the controls. Nothing moved though, the Praetorian far too heavy for Andromeda to throw off. The blade continued its descent and he saw the danger that it brought with its advance. He lurched forward in his seat, grabbing ahold of his partner's shoulder and hauling her back with him. They tumbled backwards into his throne together as the blade finally came to a gut-wrenching stop, the blade's tapered point mere inches away from his partner's chest.

The Praetorian ripped Andromeda's face free, tossing it aside with casual disdain. It moved its head close to the now exposed cockpit, a single, sapphire-colored eye illuminating the interior with a cold spotlight. Both parasites froze, completely at the mercy of a monster that knew of no such distraction.

S337 stared into the abyss of the black pupil, and the abyss stared back. He had the awful feeling of being scrutinized, like a pinned butterfly upon display within an entomologist's study and his arms involuntarily wrapped protectively around his truest friend and partner. After a tense moment, the head pulled back and the Praetorian held up a claw. It reached down, the sharpened digits approaching with malicious intent. His eyes widened as he realized the creature intended to simply crush he and his partner. What a wasteful way to die.

The Praetorian stopped reaching. It reared up, arching its back and releasing their arm as its oversized jaw dropped in a cry of silent pain. An awful sound, like that of a human rib cage cracking under immense pressure, sounded throughout the chamber, reaching the ears of every occupant. And then the creature's chest exploded outward, the metallic carapace bursting forth and wrenching horribly out of shape as an orange blade speared forth from the chest. The blade continued its emergence, growing as it broke further through the Praetorian's armor. And then the creature began to howl, the sound like a death-knell from a condemned man.

The Praetorian's massive bulk began to lift off Andromeda, its form rising upwards as if pulled by some unseen force. Its feet left the ground, and S337 saw what had dealt the beast such a mortal wound.

Washed in blooded crimson, streaked in off-white marble, and topped with a horn fashioned from onyx spearing from her head was a Franxx unlike any other. Here was a Franxx designed with both elegant femininity and savage ferocity in perfect balance, rivaling, and in many instances surpassing, every other Franxx, to include even the much vaunted Aquila. Here was Papa's first and most beautiful angel. His truest and most trusted child, in every sense of the word. Here was Strelizia, in all her glory, and all her horror.

She was poised, leaning back as she lifted the Praetorian above her, her lance driven through the beast's heavily armored back. Her face perfectly twisted in a grimace as she bore the weight above her.

S337 punched the air, cheering as their savior turned on her heels, the beast slipping free from its impalement and hurtling across the chamber. " **Yeah**! He did it! He actually did it! Hahaha!" His boisterous uproar startled his partner, and he found her staring at him as if he she did not recognize him. "What?"

The Praetorian landed on its clawed feet, grunting as it did so before dropping to all fours. It held a hand to its chest, watching as a vicious, dark liquid oozed out, flowing through its bladed-fingers before drizzling onto the ground. Its head snapped to the crimson maiden that had caused such a wound, and then it roared as it threw itself into an all out charge, eyes ablaze with savage fury.

Strelizia leveled her spear, the orange blade crawling with magma energy waiting to be unleashed. She spoke, her voice somehow different than either of the occupants cocooned safely within her hull. "Vile filth. You dare to threaten _us_? You dare to threaten _him_? You dare to call _her_ a monster?" She darted to the side, almost casually flicking out with her weapon as the Praetorian hurtled past, drawing even more of the dark liquid that served as the creature's corrupted blood. The beast stumbled to a halt, turning with an animalistic whine as it let a severed arm crash to the ground. "You're nothing to us. Nothing but a cruel, pathetic excuse for a man. You scared her, and for that, we can never forgive you. Come to us. Come and die on our blade so that we may sake our thirst for vengeance."

The Praetorian reared its ugly head back before unleashing a horrid scream as its eyes swam in crimson. S337 watched as it lurched into another charge, only briefly stooping to retrieve its severed arm from the ground. His confusion at its peculiar behavior turned to concern as the creature matched Strelizia's speed, swinging the arm like a primitive club. He winced as the muscle-dense, bio-mechanical arm smacked meatily into the crimson maiden's side, her form doubling up from the blow. It followed the brutal assault with an overhead blow that drove Strelizia to the ground, wincing in pain.

"We have to help!" He called out to his partner and she responded as she had been trained to do. Andromeda turned towards her own severed arm, collecting the fallen blade gripped by loose fingers. With blade singing a dreadful song of lethal intent in her left hand, she advanced upon the Praetorian as it continued to batter down Strelizia, that awful, gurgling laughter spilling forth from the beast.

The Praetorian's cruel laughter came to a striking halt a moment later as Strelizia held up a hand in defense, the heavy vambrace upon her wrist battering aside the Praetorian's descending arm. She surged to her feet, stabbing forth with her spear and skewering the Praetorian through its abdominal section mere meters below the gaping hole she had torn open only moments before. The beast shuddered, eyes flickering dimly as it let out a hiss, sinking upon suddenly weak knees.

"We have to capture this thing while we have a chance. Hiro!" He called out, hoping that Strelizia was patched into their net. "Hold it there, we have to sever its limbs." He knew that they had to do it quickly, for although the Praetorian was currently immobilized, the rest of the S.T.A.R.R.S were fighting tooth and nail against the Klaxosaur reinforcements, holding them at bay as they attempted to target Strelizia within the turbulent melee.

As if the Praetorian had heard him, its head perked up, eyes alighting like stars undergoing transition into supernova. A clawed hand flashed out, encircling around Strelizia's throat with an unbreakable hold. And then the beast _pulled_ with monstrous strength, hauling itself further onto the spear. Its spine warped and snapped as the blade pierced through, the Klaxosaur shuddering as it went limp below the waist, supported only by Strelizia herself. And still it continued on, uncaring of the damage it caused to itself. Its only drive was to kill and kill and kill, even if it died in the act.

A shiver ran through S337 as he watched the act of self-mutilation in mounting horror. It was disturbing upon an instinctual scale to even think such a thing was possible, but it was entirely different to watch a creature willingly commit such an act. And it wasn't even in the name of self-preservation. It was all in the name of inflicting terrible violence. The Praetorian's jaw unhinged, falling open and gaping wide as it inched closer to Strelizia's face, pulling ever onward with a determination that was unsettling to witness.

A bright bolt of orange speared from the darkness, cracking through the Praetorian's wrist. The fingers opened, their strength fleeing with the injury as it bled profusely, copious amounts of dark fluid splashing out upon Strelizia as the hand dropped away. Lupus pulled back into the darkness, loading another magma-bolt into her hybridized arm, the limb temporarily configured into the largest ballistae every constructed by mankind. She disappeared, the shadows loyally concealing one of their own.

Without the hand to restrain her, Strelizia acted. She lifted a leg and kicked out at the Praetorian, heeled-foot crushing the beast's collarbone and sending it flailing off the end of her spear. It collapsed where it fell, mewling upon the ground as its legs failed it. With only one arm and no working hands, it was in a sorry, defenseless state, completely at the mercy of the parasites before it. It cried aloud, its voice shrill and tortured. The Klaxosaurs that remained alive turned as one, adding their own voices to the cacophony, as if in sympathy for their humbled champion. As they howled they moved, closing in upon the fallen beast.

Andromeda readied her blade, taking a defensive posture before the remnants of what was once the most powerful Klaxosaur ever encountered. Strelizia pulled alongside her, spear at the ready, and they shared a brief nod of acknowledgement. Orion thundered into the ground behind them, covering the rear as Aquila cut her way through a trio of wailing Klaxosaurs in order to stand alongside them all. Even Lupus materialized, her arms restored to their normal configuration, her khopesh hanging low to the ground as her canine-esque face surveyed the chamber full of monsters. The humans were surrounded, their backs to their prize. It would be theirs' if they survived the next few minutes.

"Everyone ready for this?" S337 asked; though he already knew the answer.

"Hell yeah," answered S074, heavy servos within her arms grinding loudly as she lifted her weapon mounts, testing her favored magmaphex caster with a quick burst into the air.

"Aquila stands ready to serve, as always." S922 replied as his Franxx twirled _Deliverance_ deftly in both hands.

"Lupus is awaiting engagement," S174 reported smartly.

"We stand as one at your side." Said Strelizia with a voice that belonged to neither of her parasites, but somehow sounded eerily similar. S337 did not have the time to wonder precisely why this was.

The Klaxosaurs were just about to close in, the children swarmed and torn to shreds when the unthinkable happened. Every last Klaxosaur that could still move did so, breaking and retreating with incredible speed. Many simply leapt onto the chamber walls, scaling the sheer surface of it and disappearing into the darkness that loomed above. Others sprinted into the entrance from which the S.T.A.R.R.S themselves had entered, disappearing from sight in a very human fashion. A handful of the wretched creatures disappeared, slipping quickly through unobtrusive openings in the walls that S337 could have sworn were not there when they had entered. Within moments all of the monsters had vanished and only the bubbling remnants of their fallen kin attested to their presence.

The parasites did not relax. For an entire minute they stood there, until the sounds of distant howling died off and an eerie silence pervaded the chamber in its absence. Turning to their captured prey, S337 saw that even the Praetorian had ceased its own wailing. In fact, it had ceased just about everything. The Praetorian had tucked its head in close to its chest, crossing its remaining arm over the reptilian snout. He watched, fascinated and disgusted in equal measure, as the limb and head bubbled, popped, and sizzled, fusing with its torso before expanding, internal bio-structures shifting and reshaping as it fused into a large, perfectly formed sphere, the surface glassy and smooth as a marble. He was briefly reminded of some archaic footage they had been shown of a glassblower shaping his work; though the Praetorian's transformation had been far less appealing to the eyes.

"Uh, what the hell just happened?" Asked S074, voicing the question floating within everyone's mind.

"We won, that's what happened. All that remains is our extraction." Stated 337 with little enthusiasm. The rather anticlimactic battle had disturbed him. It all felt a little _too_ easy. "Aquila," his voice crackled over the comm, "gather the remains of the fallen 9s. You are to bear them to the surface with every ounce of respect afforded to such heroes." He charged his comrades with the most solemn duty. He did not particularly like the Nines themselves, but he did have to respect their abilities as warriors and their service to Papa. Both were admirable.

Aquila straightened, even her wings seeming to follow suite as she inclined her head in acknowledgment. "As is our responsibility. They shall be returned with all honors due." Replied S922 in a tone that offered nothing but respect for those who had given their lives. The _Herald of Eternit_ _y_ turned to carry out her duties, collecting the fallen in order to return them to their final resting place. She was Papa's herald after all and her title was no mere gimmick.

Andromeda turned towards Lupus next, S337 eyeing the stunted war-machine through the gaping hole that was their Franxx's face. "Lupus, please collect Andromeda's arm and faceplate. It will greatly assist with repairs if it only needs reattachment. And Strelizia," he pivoted their Franxx until the blood-red armor of their objective filled his vision, "I do not wish to ask this of you, as the Praetorian is _our_ responsibility, but can you assist us in the carrying of what is left of the Praetorian to the surface?" Andromeda held up a single hand, displaying the obvious in that she possessed no capability to do the task herself. And Orion certainly couldn't do it as per her design.

Strelizia nodded, once more speaking with a combined voice. "As darling is rather fond of you, so shall we do this." She stooped, collecting the ball of Klaxosaur bio-mechanics in her hands. Impossibly, it had already gained enough mass to warrant the use of both hands, but it seemed to have stalled in its unexplained growth. For now.

Andromeda herself began to leave, but she stopped and turned to where the Praetorian's own weapon lay upon the ground. She focused upon it, studying it with the practiced eye of her pistil. It was an unremarkable weapon in every regard, with only a single exception. It had been forged by Klaxosaur hands, and then wielded by a creature of the same blood. That made it an object of interest. Perhaps, it was even more valuable than the aberration that had wielded it. After all, no recorded Klaxosaur had ever wielded a weapon in battle before. And so, after mag-clamping her own weapon upon her back, she hefted the halberd and turned towards the chamber's exit, the other parasites following close behind.

The battle of the Gran Crevasse had finally ended. The victor was merely a matter perspective.

* * *

 **Afterword**

Thank you all for your continued support and attention! I truly appreciate it and oftentimes it is the only thing that keeps me editing and re-writing scenes over and over. This chapter took quite some time, but it was obviously an important piece due to the reunion of the two best characters, so I wished to take my time. Did I do them justice? Let me know if you think so. Oh, and this chapter finally concludes the introduction for my story, so if you wish to read more then I urge you to be patient, because there is _alot_ more material coming.


	9. Chapter 9: Deadweight

**Chapter 9**

 **Deadweight**

Salutations once again! I apologize profusely for taking an incredibly long time to write out this chapter, but I have had a lot of work on my hands. I also found that dialogue is far harder to write than action scenes, and that is pretty much all this chapter contains. Well, that and an awkward family dinner. Seriously, this chapter has it all, plus the doc throws some serious shade. So, get ready for some heavy character-building and enough foreshadowing to choke a whale.

* * *

Within the empty void, trapped in the gravity well of its master's shattered homeworld, a city sat in endless silence and perpetual tranquility. It mirrored its lesser cousins- the earthbound plantations- in purpose, but it surpassed them greatly in both form, function and location. It was a city of radiant gold, sailing majestically above such earthly concerns as storms, earthquakes and the ever-present Klaxosaur menace that now plagued the decrepit world far below. Towering spires of metallic bronze and dirty pyrite jutted proudly from its foundation, each one connected to its neighbors through subtly attached walkways that were shielded from the hazards of the cosmic surroundings. Reinforced portholes blended seamlessly with the elaborate architecture, allowing the occupants of the city-station to gaze upon the wonder of creation laid out before them. Not that many of the humans still cared about what happened beyond their sheltered bottle of a world, but the view was there nonetheless, for it existed as an extreme indulgence by those individuals that had been instrumental in the establishment of man's greatest civilization.

Two such responsible individuals were currently engrossed in conversation as they enjoyed the view, reclining upon their suspended thrones as they watched the cradle of their species spin peacefully below them. They were located within the expansive observation dome that served as the high council's chamber, deep in conversation as they discussed some of the most important events that had happened in recent memory. Events that would- in theory- define the species's role within the wider galaxy for millennia to come. For all that though, they spoke candidly, for their friendship was well-established and spanned over a century's time.

"So," the lesser of the two humans began without preamble, turning to face his companion, "that could have gone better."

His colleague and friend shrugged massive shoulders, sending their cream-colored robes rippling with the motion. "True; though it could also have gone _much_ worse than it had."

"You actually think the operation went well?"

The larger figure mused upon the question for a moment before speaking again. They were never one to rush anything, and their tendency to speak or withhold it reflected this. "I believe so. We achieved much."

"But at what cost have we paid?"

"Cost? An appropriate one, my friend. A _fair_ price I might even say."

"Fair?! You cannot be serious right now... the casualties list is as long as my arm! You... you have actually _seen_ the list, right?"

The greater of the two displayed their answer through a simple nod of their head, not even deigning to tear their unrelenting gaze from the endless void set before them.

"You have? And you're not the least bit concerned by its length?"

"No." They responded, unwilling to waste more than a single breath upon their answer.

"Really? Are you not the least bit concerned by its contents then?"

"Not a single iota of my broken body is worried about that list."

"The Nines are on it." The man stated flatly. " _The_ Nines. With but a single exception, we lost them all. Every. Single. Nine. _Gone_. Like _that."_ He snapped his fingers, the sound ranging dully in the chamber.

Papa sighed heavily, turning with a hollow gaze to meet the lesser of the two beings. Empty eye sockets stared from a gilded mask wrought in the image of a man. The mask itself was a dual masterpiece of art and engineering, the two disciplines intertwined seamlessly in order to conceal the wearer's identity whilst projecting a benevolent persona to the world. But, when Papa spoke, the patronizing tone spoiled the beatific image. "Yes, my friend. I understand what it means if they're on the casualty list. You can cease your melodramatic attitude now. Such theatrics should be reserved for the others, but you waste them when you attempt to apply them to me."

Heedless of Papa's advice, the man continued unabated. "You're not even slightly concerned at their loss? But, they were your most beloved-" his speech was interrupted by the boisterous laughter of his colleague.

"Hahahaha! _Beloved_? Oh! That is _rich_ indeed, my friend. Surely, you could not believe that I actually _cared_ for them?"

He fumbled for a response, momentarily stunned by the callousness Papa displayed for the Nines. "Well, no, not really. But... I thought that they were your chosen parasites at the very least."

"Please... how could I ever favor such mistakes? I'll give you that they were a cut above your average parasite- but let's be honest here- they were genetic failures in reality that should never have even happened. And yet, in a moment of exceptional personal weakness, a thorn of pity embedded itself within my heart and thus did I allow them their short-lived existence. But, I never saw them as anything more than what they were: a means to an end. Perhaps they were worth a little more than their generic peers, but they were no less expendable than any other parasite that we have spawned. And I chose to exercise that expendability by trading their lives for something far greater than they could ever hope to be. Besides, we have lost little in the way of capable soldiers for their replacements exceed them in every fashion."

"The S.T.A.R.R.S?" He asked of Papa.

"Indeed. The S.T.A.R.R.S will make fine replacements for those wretched disasters we indulged long past their prime."

"You place such faith in them already? Their first live combat was literally _yesterday_. They have no combat history whatsoever-"

"And yet, you forget that their first test was against the Praetorian, a biological weapon unmatched by anything ever seen before. They have earned my faith as capable soldiers. They will prove their usefulness during phase two."

He nodded, accepting what his colleague told him. After his colleague's mind was set, Papa wouldn't be swayed through any argument with insufficient logic. If he wished for Papa to look upon upon another squad with interest, he would have to bring it up himself and supply enough supporting facts to be convincing. Fortunately, he knew just the one. "And what about Werner's brood? Were they not exceptional too?"

"Hmm. You speak of Plantation Defense Squad 13, correct? Yes, they did prove themselves worthy to be included in the next stages of our plan. But, not worthy enough to curry my favor through it. They are Werner's little project, after all."

"Squad 13 has history though. They have fought in many skirmishes and accomplished many sorties in a very short period of time. Is that not worthy of your blessing?"

"You are right, my dear friend. Squad 13 has been an exceptional display of soldiering, worthy of praise and much recognition; though I cannot forget their _failure_ to capture the Praetorian when given the chance. They lack... discipline, of which the S.T.A.R.R.S have plenty. However, they do deserve some recognition for their actions, especially the female squad leader. Without her initiative, we would have lost many more parasites than we could have afforded to."

"She does indeed require recognition. In fact, I daresay that she is the kind of parasite we need for phase two. We need the parasite corps as a whole to become more... independent upon the battlefield. We need them to show initiative. The children require positive reinforcement in order to continue along such a path."

"Are you suggesting I reward her for her actions upon the battlefield? That I _reward_ her retreat?"

"You cannot deny that retreat was the only option available to them. I mean, the _entire_ offensive _disintegrated_ within minutes of the Praetorian's arrival. Code 015 acted completely rationally and preserved as many assets as she was able to. That was no cowardly retreat, but a logical decision to preserve as many lives as possible. We need that... _compassion_ for phase two."

Papa leaned further back into the simple throne, interweaving gloved fingers before the ornate mask that concealed any sort of facial expression. Logically speaking, it made sense. But, humans were not logical creatures. They were crude, base creatures slaved to archaic emotions and primitive instincts. How would the other children throughout the Parasite Corps see the recognition of Code 015's actions? Would they shun it? Or would they be inspired to act more independently? Papa knew which was required for phase two. "Very well. Code 015 will be awarded our highest military honor. It will be bestowed upon her in the grandest, most elaborate ceremony those children have ever seen. And we must ensure that as many other parasites as possible attend- all the better to inspire them to action. But, to that end, we must send someone in the flesh to present the award." Papa's head swiveled to the lesser human. "Would you care to walk the Earth once more?"

"You wish _me_ to go planetside? I haven't walked the mother-world in decades." His head pivoted towards the planet in question, still beautiful despite all the abuse she had endured beneath the rule of her cruel, self-centered children. "I'll go, if only to see the endless skies of blue, one last time before the end."

"Good. It's settled then. Oh, before I forget, can you do me a favor whilst planetside? Do check in on our mutual friend, Werner."

"And the Praetorian as well, I presume?"

Papa sighed heavily. "Yes. And the Praetorian."

They lapsed into silence once more, content for the moment to return their view to their world, spinning endlessly in the infinite emptiness that cradled it. "Do you think it truly is _him_."

Papa turned from the void, affixing that hollow gaze upon the other man. "My dear friend, I am _counting_ on it."

* * *

The door slid to the side, a soft, mechanical hiss accompanying its withdrawal into the wall. A woman- more of a girl, really- entered quickly, a metallic tray held in her delicate hands. She walked to the side of the bed, upon which lay the room's sole occupant. The tray settled onto the side table in a gentle clatter, the pitcher of crystal-clear water threatening to spill over before being arrested by her quick intervention. With the disaster avoided, followed by a quick pat-down of her skirt, the girl pulled a metallic chair to the bed and promptly sat down upon it.

For a time, the girl simply waited in silence, the only disturbance originating from the ever-present humming of medical machinery. The lights of the room had been dimmed by the staff, their normally harsh intensity lessened for the sake of the room's current occupant; though he was in no condition to be bothered by such things. In place of the harsh, hospital lighting, the radiant, golden glow of the city emanated from beyond the window that looked out upon it, bathing everything within the room in that characteristically warm atmosphere that seemed to infect every plantation upon the globe. When at last she broke her silence, it was to speak with the boy.

"Mitsuru...," she said, her voice forming the boy's name easily enough, but still fumbling with the heavy emotions that accompanied it. It wasn't like it was difficult to say, but it did _something_ to her every time she sounded it out. Mit-su-ru. Mit-suru. _Mitsuru_. Yes, there it was. Like butterflies in her stomach.

"Mitsuru," she began again, "I brought you some water," she gestured to the full pitcher, droplets condensing into beads of sweat upon the glass, "and some food." A hearty meal sat next to the pitcher, consisting of lean meat, seasoned vegetables, and a healthy serving of carbs. And, of course, two plates sat side-by-side as well, one for him and one for her. Not that he ever ate his portion. He couldn't, not as he was now. But, that certainly hadn't stopped her from bringing it every time she visited. And she visited often. Every day in fact, and she had done so for the past week and a half. And every time saw another meal gone to waste.

Kokoro didn't fully understand why she continued this practice, but she certainly wasn't willing to stop. It just didn't feel right to exclude him from her meals. After all, they had eaten together since... well, when she really thought about it, they had never _not_ eaten together. They were of the same squad, a squad that had been formed years ago and had stayed relatively intact ever since. The only exception to this stability was the loss of Naomi and the addition of Zero Tsu. Even when she accounted for those two events, she realized that Mitsuru and her had eaten just about every meal within the same room for _years._ And so, she felt the urge to include her partner in her meals, for he was _her_ partner and to exclude him felt _wrong_ to her, as if she were abandoning him. She didn't like that idea at all. And after their encounter with the 'Praetorian', she realized that he was something far more valuable than simply her partner. What exactly that was however continued to evade her, the answer as elusive as a shadow.

As she consumed her meal, her mind wondered about and she began to question what exactly Mitsuru was to her. He meant a lot to her, that was for sure. She cared for him like she cared for no other parasite. She worried for his health and well-being like no one else ever had. Her thoughts constantly swayed to him when she was away from him. And whenever they had spoken directly, his calm eyes boring into her's, she had felt like the world revolved around them. Like nothing else mattered but their conversation at that exact moment in time.

Was that feeling of self-importance and measured focus how Hiro and Zero Tsu felt? Was this feeling she experienced in Mitsuru's presence one of 'love'? She didn't know, for she was inexperienced in such matters. But she resolved to do what she could to overcome such ignorance and discover the truth of this feeling within her chest. To that end, she decided to ask Hiro what it meant to 'love' someone when she saw him later.

As Kokoro finished her meal, she rolled right into the next portion of her daily ritual without delay. "So, this morning was quite an eventful day for everyone in our squad." As she was Mitsuru's friend and partner, it felt entirely natural to update him in what he was missing whilst he healed. And although he hadn't replied back- _yet_ \- she knew that he would eventually recover from his injuries. A large part of her wished to be by his side when that happened, so she sought any excuse to be in his presence. Even if the excuse was redundant and rather pointless. "There was this _beautiful_ ceremony that we all attended. It kinda reminded me of the start-up ritual we went through when we became official parasites, but it was far more extravagant. I wish you had been there to see it, Mitsuru." She smiled at his face, but he showed no sign of hearing any of what she had said. She continued with her account of the ceremony, undaunted by his silence.

"The ceremony itself was held in Ichigo's honor, but we were all welcome to attend. There were so many other parasites there as well! I've never seen anything like it..." Her voice adopted a dreamy quality to it as her mind traveled back in time to the event in question, mere hours beforehand. She began to recount it for Mitsuru's benefit. "It took place in Plantation 13's amphitheater. Two rows of parasites made an isle all the way to the stage. There must have been fifty teams at least! And Squad 13 was right next to the stage- well, except for Ichigo and Goro. Since they were being awarded, they walked down the isle in their ceremonial dress together. They looked so cute side-by-side like that! The rest of us just got to watch from the front row as Ichigo personally accepted a medal from a _real_ sage. And Goro got one just like it! Oh, I can't wait for you to see their medals! They're so shiny and pretty, like a metallic flower petal! And they have this weird language inscribed on their backs. None of us can read what it says though- not even Hiro can find any reference of it within the library. Oh! And speaking of Hiro, something else happened just after the ceremony. Zero Tsu was reinstated as Hiro's official partner once more! Although, that happened with far less ceremony and fanfare. I know her rejoining the squad must sound odd to you, but they've really come a long way as partners. _She_ has come a long way. Zero Tsu is so much more... open, now. It's like she is an entirely different person, and I think she is getting along well with everyone. Well, _almost_ everyone..." She quickly lapsed into silence as her thoughts turned towards her squad leader.

Ichigo wasn't exactly fond of Zero Tsu, and that was certainly no secret. In fact, no one from Squad 13 had been particularly fond of Zero Tsu before the battle- none except for Hiro, of course. That had changed though, with Hiro disembarking from Strelizia hand-in-hand with Zero Tsu, tears streaming down both their faces as they grinned ear-to-ear. Whatever had happened between them deep below the Earth's surface had changed their relationship on a fundamental level. That change had been so dramatic that it had even affected their personalities; though it was an overwhelmingly positive change, thank Papa. Gone was Zero Tsu's open hostility and contempt of her fellow parasites. Now she displayed only open friendliness and ceaseless optimism. Hiro seemed all the better for it as well, often matching his 'beloved' Zero Tsu's positive energy with his own.

Kokoro was all for this turn of events. She enjoyed the easy camaraderie that now flowed about the dinner table on the rare occasions she did not attend to Mitsuru- the dour mood of Ichigo notwithstanding, of course. She was also happy that most of the tension between everyone and Zero Tsu had dissolved. It hadn't happened over night, but Zero Tsu had made great strides in approaching others and making amends upon a personal scale. Kokoro suspected that it was Hiro that was behind her actions, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. After all, he was motivating her to be a better person. How was that wrong in any way?

A single parasite seemed to think so. Ichigo clung tightly to the past, not yet ready to forgive Zero Tsu for her earlier actions. The room often grew cold when both girls were present as Ichigo shot icy glares at Zero Tsu, who commendably ignored most of them or even acknowledged them with a beaming smile. The others seemed willing to forgive Zero Tsu, but Ichigo was far from doing so.

Kokoro could sympathize Ichigo's point of view very well; though this had not been the case at first, for Ichigo had just seemed rather stubborn to her, but after she had placed herself in Ichigo's position and then placed Mitsuru in Hiro's... well, it was all too easy to understand then.

"Well, that's almost all that happened today. Things have been real slow up top." She locked her fingers together in her lap, staring down at them. "Honestly, it's all kinda surreal at times. We lost the battle of the Gran Crevasse and now... now we're just sitting around and waiting. Nana tells us that they're trying a different approach now and that other parasites are being sent out on recon sorties, each one led by some sort of new elite squad that Hiro met. But, we haven't been sent anywhere. At least, not yet. The rumor that's going around suggests that we are being allowed to rest and recover after the battle. Hachi hasn't confirmed it, but he says we're going to need the R&R, because Squad 13 is supposedly expected to lead the second assault now that the Nines are gone..." her thoughts flashed back to the horrid screams of the Nines that she had seen die before her very eyes, their lives snuffed out by that... that _thing_ , that _monster_ responsible for placing Mitsuru in the state he was now. How awful to think that it was not dead yet, but actually being held captive at an undisclosed location. She shuddered to think of how many more of those _things_ might be in the Gran Crevasse proper, just waiting to be awakened.

Such dark thoughts stirred negative emotions within her, and Kokoro felt tears well up within her eyes. She let them come, embracing the sadness she had kept locked away until this very moment where she could unleash them without fear of reprisal. There was no one here to judge her or her emotions. There was only Mitsuru, the boy that she trusted more than any in the world. It was safe to expose her vulnerability around him. She reached out with her hand, taking ahold of his in her delicate fingers. She squeezed his hand tightly, but, of course, received no response. Even so, just to _touch_ him was a reassuring gesture in itself. "I'm afraid, Mitsuru. I'm afraid of going back out there without you. I'm afraid of having to fight something like that, that _monster_ , again. I don't want any of our friends to die- not like the Nines. Not like _any_ of them did. So, please... c-come back to us... come back to _me_."

Kokoro stayed like that for a long time. Hand-in-hand with her partner, tears flowing down her face in a steady stream for several, long minutes, only slowing as the large hand on the room's antique clock ticked away fifteen times. She poured her grief to him in that time, the release of such sorrow like therapy to a child such as her, for her environment often repressed such outbursts of emotion with ruthless efficiency. And yet, for all her display of emotional honesty, Mitsuru heard not a peep of it, nor did he ever once respond. But, it was enough that he was there for her, a deaf ear for her to cry to.

"Thank you, Mitsuru, for listening to your partner..." she brought her free hand up, snatching up a napkin from the tray and dabbing at her eyes, soaking away the tears as best she could. She sniffled before speaking to the comatose boy once more. "I know we haven't chatted very often in the past, but these past couple of months have been... good. I've really liked being your partner, Mitsuru." She smiled, her eyes still red and irritated. "I hope I'm your partner for a long time too. I know you'll be back soon and I'll be waiting here for you. And then we can spend more time together, just like we planned. Doesn't that sound great? Nana just says that you need some more rest first though, but it won't be long because you're very strong. I believe what she says." She leaned in close, whispering into her partner's ear. "You're strong, Mitsuru. So, come back to me soon." And with that order given, she patted his head, her fingers running affectionately through his smooth hair as she placed a soft kiss upon his temple. A kiss was a special thing, she had been told. A special thing, for a special someone. And Mitsuru was definitely her special someone.

Kokoro left some time later, tray in hand as she left the room in nearly the same state that she had arrived to a mere hour beforehand. Mitsuru was left alone in the dim lighting, the soft ensemble of bio-readout machines his sole remaining companion. Upon one of the displays, unseen by any human eyes, a vital sign spiked as the subject's brain activity briefly returned to normal levels for several heartbeats before dropping away just as quickly as it had begun.

* * *

Ichigo entered the meeting room just as the sun began to set, the last rays of the day bleeding through the windows and painting the room a natural, orange-red. She quickly spotted the only other parasite within the room.

"Ichigo." Ikuno waved as their eyes met, her's alighting as they sighted in upon a friend.

"Ikuno. Ready for dinner?" She returned the wave and threw in a smile that twisted Ikuno's face into one as well. It was good to see her friend after the day that she had endured.

The memory of her award ceremony was as fresh as the weight about her neck was heavy. She had been forced to walk down an isle, an honor guard of parasites flanking Goro and her as they had made their approach to one of the sages, whereupon they had been bestowed their award after a long-winded speech about honor, nobility and sacrifice. It was all very elaborate, with every parasite from the Gran Crevasse present and sweating profusely in their dress uniforms. Not even the mighty Franxxs had escaped the ceremony and many of the machines stood guard over the event, serving as both ceremonial and practical sentinels. Delphinium herself had been present as well, taking center stage as she stood empty and soulless without her biological core. A thousand adults had also made their presence known, watching silently from the stands of the amphitheater- watching, and judging like the distant gods they were. Under their unwavering gazes had she been forced to accept the heaviest burden she had ever carried. That medal hung there still, cast in pure gold and inscribed with her name and the date of her heroism, as much a testament to her deeds as it was a memorial to the children that had fallen that fateful day. The medal itself was actually quite light, but what it represented was too awful to dwell upon. It disgusted her that she was required to wear it now, as part of her uniform. Hopefully, this dinner among friends would ease her mind and dispel her foul mood.

Ikuno nodded as she rose from her seat, falling in by Ichigo's side as they made their way through the meeting room and its circular couches to the foyer, where they encountered Zorome and Futoshi descending the steps. Greetings between the girls and boys were exchanged briefly as they moved as a quartet into the dining hall, the time for dinner having been reached. They spread out on arrival, taking what seats they wished.

The dining hall had changed some months ago. No longer were there two separate tables for boys and girls, now those two tables had been pushed together, unified as a singular dining place. The food was already present too, as it always was and always would be.

Ikuno sat next to Ichigo at the head of the table and they began a quiet conversation as they awaited upon the arrival of the rest of their squad. Zorome and Futoshi mirrored the two girls as they took seats at the opposing end of the table; though their conversation was far more belligerent and crude. At least, at first.

"So, how are you feeling?" Ikuno applied a light touch to her friend's arm. She smiled as well, the expression one of genuine sincerity.

"I'm well, Ikuno. Thanks for asking." Ichigo forced a smile for her friend's sake. She silently hoped that Ikuno wouldn't see through the facade, but her friend was all too familiar with her tells.

"Of course, Ichigo. I'm here for you." She placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. _Oh hell. Had she already seen through her_ _charade_ _?_ "And I'll always be here, no matter what. So, if something is on your mind, just let me know."

"Okay. I will, but I'm doing quite well, so please, don't worry yourself." Ichigo smiled as she gave Ikuno's hand a pat, returning her attention to the food set before them. It was a picture-perfect setup and looked absolutely delicious, but somehow Ichigo felt no desire to eat any of it. There was time until the others arrived though, so perhaps her appetite would return by then.

"That's my job, Ichigo. I'm your friend. I have to worry about you, because if I don't, who will?" Ichigo felt the hand tighten upon her shoulder instead of dropping away. _Damn her perceptiveness! Was it those accursed glasses that gave her such unnatural insight?_

Ichigo shook her head from side-to-side. "Thanks, but you needn't worry so much about me. That's Goro's job after all. He worries about me and I worry about him. We're partners. It's what we do for each other."

"I know, it's just that I can do that as well..." Ikuno said, and Ichigo could hear the genuine sincerity in the girl's words. Ikuno was her truest friend, and that is why she could not burden her with the truth. At least, not the _whole_ truth. But neither could she ever stomach telling her a lie. So, she... improvised.

"Okay. I'll tell you." She dropped her voice into a conspiratorial whisper as she leaned in close. "I'm scared, Ikuno."

Ikuno was momentarily taken back by her friend's confession and she blinked rapidly. "Scared? Of what?"

"Of _her_. Of _Zero Tsu_." She practically hissed the girl's name, her voice containing far more venom within it than she had anticipated. _Okay, so maybe this wasn't that much of an improvisation._

Ikuno frowned at the mention of their newest squad member. "Ichigo, are we really going to go down this road again?"

"What do you mean _again_?" Ichigo hissed once more.

Ikuno took a deep breath. "Listen to me, pretty please? I'm your friend, and I will not lie to you nor lead you astray, but I think you're overreacting to that girl."

Ichigo pulled back, her eyes going wide as her mouth gaped open like a stranded fish. " _What?!_ " she exclaimed rather loudly, attracting the attention of the boys across the room. She continued on, oblivious to the eyes that now watched her. "Are you serious, Ikuno? You can't be!"

Ikuno sighed as she prepared to break the awful truth to her friend, all the while aware of the eyes now upon them. "I am serious, Ichigo. I mean, come on, she is trying really hard to make amends for what she has done."

"You _are_ serious, aren't you?" Ichigo asked incredulously. "You truly believe she is one of us now simply because she is playing nice?"

Ikuno shrugged. "Well, maybe not _one_ of us, per se, but she _is_ trying her best. I'll give her that much. I mean, she has been nothing but helpful about the house, lending a hand with chores and anything else that isn't automatically maintained by the adults. And she has really gone out of her way to apologize to everyone about her behavior before the Gran Crevasse. Well, everyone except you, but that's probably because you hiss at her."

Ichigo was supremely offended. "I do not _his_ _s_ at her," she hissed in reply, oblivious to the irony. "Have you forgotten what she did before the battle? She _attacked_ us. For the love of Papa, she _injured_ some of us and very nearly _killed_ Hiro. Why are you all forgiving her so easily?"

"Because, everyone makes mistakes." Ikuno held up a hand to stall any forthcoming reply. "Hiro's words, not mine. But he did make a decent point. Zero Tsu was scared, terrified even, of losing him. She only lashed out at us because she saw us as a threat to them, and I can understand that. We technically _were_ keeping them separated for what we believed was a good reason. And after hearing her side of the story, I understand her actions; though I may not agree with how she handled the situation, however I cannot say that if I were in her position I would have done any different. Let me make this clear, I do not condone her actions at the time, but neither can I condemn them for I understand _why_ she reacted as she did. Simply put, Zero Tsu reacted to her situation in the manner she was most familiar with. I cannot entirely place the blame upon her for that reason."

Ichigo was silent for a moment, her face twisted with shock at the words that came out of her friend's mouth- words that were in direct opposition to her point. "Y-You... you don't _condemn_ her?! After all the damage she did to us, both physically and mentally, you still can't condemn her?! Why? How can you not see her as anything but dangerous now?"

"Because, she told me about her past, Ichigo. She told me about all of the isolation she experienced as a child- literally and socially. She also told me about awfully invasive medical experiments conducted upon her from the earliest she could remember- and none of them were with her consent. She also told me about her long history of being utilized by APE as a biological weapon. How long do you think she has been forced to pilot Strelizia? Years to our months. She has been piloting that Franxx since long before we ever left Garden."

"And all of this excuses her actions? All of what she said to you somehow makes up for her violence? What if it was all lies that she told you to gain your sympathy? She has manipulated Hiro enough times that I could see her capable of such... deception."

Ikuno shook her head, her ponytail swishing soundlessly behind her head. "Zero Tsu is many things, but a liar isn't one of them and you know it. And I don't think she told me any of this in order to garner my sympathy. I truly believe she was just trying an honest approach so that we could come to an understanding. And I never once said that any of it excuses her actions, but now that I know her past I am more easily able to _understand_ her actions. After all, she spent her entire life as a weapon. She spent her entire life overcoming any obstacle through sheer violence. Is it truly any wonder that she acted with the same violence when confronted with a problem borne of conflicting human wills?"

"So, you're saying that due to her troubled background that she is inherently violent? How is that any better than before?"

"I did not say she was inherently violent. I said that violence was simply her 'go-to' response; though this is no longer the case. And that brings me back to my original point: Zero Tsu has changed for the better, and it's mainly thanks to the effort Hiro has put in on her behalf."

"So, just like that she earns our trust? Because she is being 'honest' and because Hiro is vouching for her?"

"You don't trust Hiro?" Ikuno cocked an eyebrow, painfully aware of the effect the boy had upon Ichigo.

Ichigo placed her hands on the table as she sat up. "I trust Hiro- _usually._ But that girl does _something_ to him that I can't explain. She warps his mind and twists his decisions to her own desires. She is a manipulative _monster_ for what she does to him and that is painfully obvious. How can none of you see it but me? Why am I the only one that is concerned with his recent change in attitude? In Plantation 26, Hiro didn't come back to risk his life for us- his own _squadmates_. He came back for _her_ and only _her_. And then, if that wasn't enough, he partnered with some random parasites and dived into a hole in order to chase after her, leaving _us_ to literally limp out of there. He _abandoned_ us in favor of _her_. He abandoned _us_." She ground the last words from between her teeth as she leaned over the table.

Ikuno shook her head and let out a heavy sigh. "Are you sure you mean 'us' and not 'yourself'?"

Ichigo's eyes widened in shock as she visibly flinched back and into her seat. _No way... did she really just... this can't be happening._ " _Myself_? Are you serious, Ikuno? This isn't about _me_ , this is about _them_."

"I'm not too sure about that. You're so fixated on Zero Tsu's past that you can't see what she is trying so very hard to become. She is doing her best to become accepted by the rest of us, but you're far too hung up on her past actions to see her as anything other than what she used to be. You're blind to the changes within that girl and it's because of your feelings for Hiro."

Ichigo was shocked into silence, her mouth gaping wide as Ikuno's words washed over her. _Impossible_. She thought. "Impossible..." she whispered. She scowled at the girl. "And here I thought you of all people would understand my concerns." She pushed herself up, her chair scooting loudly upon the hardwood flooring of the dining room. Ichigo quickly made her way down a couple of seats and then plopped down, alone and obviously far away from her would-be friend. She turned sharply, glaring at Futoshi and Zorome, both stamen having long ago lapsed into silence as they had observed their squad leader's dispute.

 _"What?"_

Zorome immediately looked away, staring off into any direction other than the one that held his leader's gaze within it. But not Futoshi. Futoshi faced her without averting his eyes. "Ichigo..." he began slowly, "...my partner is right."

Incredulously, Ichigo asked the same question once more. "What?!"

"Ikuno is right. Zero Tsu deserves the benefit of the doubt. I know she has made many mistakes, but let's be honest here, none of us are perfect. We are all flawed in our own ways, and that's what makes us human. That, and our journey to overcome said flaws. I think Zero Tsu is finally embracing her humanity and doing her best to become a better person. She has earned my respect for that, if nothing else. Besides, I'd be calling myself a hypocrite if I called her out on her violence. I socked Mitsuru right in the jaw after we switched partners, after all."

"You only punched Mitsuru. She nearly killed Hiro and the rest of us. Those are two entirely different situations!"

"Not really. Both acts were senseless violence motivated by jealousy and nothing more. And not a day goes by that I don't regret it either, so I can basically guarantee that Zero Tsu feels that same guilt. But, neither of us can change the past. All that we can do is try to make amends with those we care about and move on. Hopefully, forgiveness comes in time."

"So, we're all just expected to forgive her for what she has done because now she feels oh-so-guilty about it? Is she even capable of guilt?"

Futoshi shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe she isn't. But she sure does look like she is. You know, after I hit Mitsuru, I didn't feel any guilt whatsoever. I felt entirely justified in it, but only recently have I begun to realize just how wrong that is. How _inhuman_ one has to be in order to be so violent. I mean, Mitsuru is my teammate and friend. He deserved to be treated with far more respect than what I gave him, but I was acting like a complete fool at the time and couldn't care otherwise. And yet, he forgave me. Mitsuru actually _forgave_ me for what I did to him, even though I never even had the decency to offer an apology for it. I didn't really understand why he did that- at least, not at the time. But, after Zero Tsu sought me out on her own in order to speak with me face-to-face, I realized exactly why he forgave me so easily. Violence simply isn't a solution between humans. Especially not between those who are supposed to be friends. After reaching such an obvious conclusion, I saw that Zero Tsu had come to that same realization. That's when I understood that her efforts to make amends with each of us were genuine, because she was trying to talk to us as if we were fellow humans. So, I forgave her on the spot."

"You... forgave her? Just... like that, you forgave her."

Futoshi nodded as the hint of a smile turned his pudgy cheeks upwards. "Yup. Just like that. Honestly, she makes a better person than I do! After all, she apologized to me on a personal level, and I haven't even done that with Mitsuru yet. I'm hoping that he wakes up soon so that I can rectify that."

"And it was just that... simple for you? She came close to killing each and every one of us, and you're just willing to forgive her for all of it simply because she apologized to you?"

"Simple? No, I wouldn't call it that. It's not so simple to forgive someone, and it wasn't easy for me to do so with Zero Tsu. But, I have to say, it's totally worth the effort. After all, holding a grudge against someone does nothing more than perpetuate hatred amongst those who should be friends. I had to force myself to put aside such personal feelings as rage, hatred, and even fear so that I could treat her as a human being. It worked though, as now I know that I can count on her to watch my back in a battle."

Ichigo lapsed into silence, stunned by Futoshi's words. This was a side to Futoshi that none of them had ever seen before, and that worried her. Now that she thought about it, everyone was acting a little strange after the battle of the Gran Crevasse. Ikuno directly opposed her whilst Futoshi willingly defended Zero Tsu with unusual eloquence and now Hiro very rarely spoke with her. What was happening to her squad? To her family? Were they all turning from her? Could it be Zero Tsu inspiring all of this change? Had she turned them all from her?

Ichigo turned towards Zorome, who had busied himself for some time with his fork; though he had surely heard everything that had been spoken. "Zorome. How do you feel about Zero Tsu?"

The stamen looked up from his fork, dropping it onto the table in a clatter. He looked almost ready to bolt, but then let out a sigh. "Fine, I guess it was inevitable that I got looped into this conversation anyways." He shrugged. "I don't think she is that bad."

"Really?! Even you think she should be forgiven?"

"Well, I didn't say _that_. But, if I'm being honest here, I didn't really mind her _before_ all of this and I don't mind her much now. And before you ask, yeah, she apologized to me in person, and yes, I forgave her, but I wasn't necessarily holding a grudge with her to begin with. I mean, all we did was have a little fight. Parasites were born to fight anyways, so I don't see what's the big deal to begin with. Also, I think you're greatly exaggerating how injured some of us were. Seriously, I got a headache from that fight. That's it. Was it annoying? Hell yeah it was. Was it life-threatening? Nope."

"I c-can't believe this... all of you are being manipulated by her! Can't you see it?"

"Ichigo..." Ikuno's voice was soft and filled with concern, "no one here is being manipulated. We are all just accepting that she made a mistake. A mistake that each of us has made the personal decision to forgive her for. Everyone, that is, except for you..."

"You expect me to forgive her for what she did?! Not only that, but you expect me to _forget_ about it like nothing ever happened? Like she didn't nearly _kill_ all of us simply through a 'misunderstanding', because that's totally normal! She certainly can't be considered dangerous anymore because she 'feels guilty' about the whole thing." Her voice dripped with sarcasm as she began to rise from her chair.

"Ichigo..." Ikuno began with a warning tone, but her friend would not relent as she turned sharply and lashed out.

"Don't 'Ichigo' me! I can't believe you of all people wouldn't have my back on this." Her voice was raised to hysterical levels as she spoke to Ikuno and the two stamen. "Zero Tsu has _never_ been like us, and she has certainly never treated us like _we_ were equals. She treats humans little better than meat and you all know it. Do you remember when she nearly killed Mitsuru? How horrible he looked after they pulled him bleeding and gasping for breath from Strelizia? I remember. I remember how close to dying he was. That should've been a clear indicator that she wasn't compatible with our squad. And yet, we kept her, as if endangering one of our comrades wasn't enough because we thought that might be the end of it. But, as we all know, it wasn't, as she nearly killed Hiro next. We even _tried_ to be reasonable about _that_ incident and did our best to mediate their interaction by keeping her at a manageable distance from him. And what does she do? She _assaults_ us! I'm done with her! I'm tired of her endangering our squad! I'm sick of that girl looking at us like we're less than nothing! I'm done with that _monster!_ " She stood from her chair as the final word rang out through the dining hall, silencing any parasite that dared to contend with their leader. All except one, that is.

"Is that really how you still see me?" Zero Tsu asked from the entrance to the room.

Every pair of eyes swiveled to the girl that had spoken. She stood with Hiro by her side, clad in her crimson parasite uniform as her pink hair spilled down to her waistline whilst her mint-colored eyes locked with Ichigo's own, all the while wearing a sorrowful expression upon her face. "You still see me... as a monster?"

Ichigo's expression did not soften. Her face twisted as she armed herself with suspicion and hardened her heart in contempt. _I cannot be fooled so easily._ "I only see what is true," she pushed her chair back and began to walk around the dining table, pacing like a predator as she rounded the table, "you may have everyone else fooled, but not me. I still remember how you treated each and every one of us- even Hiro was disposable to you. I know what you do to him. How easily you play upon his emotions to twist his will to your's. He can't see it, but I see right through your lies. I see you have him enthralled like he is little better than a hound! I see you for what you truly are, Zero Tsu- a _monster_!" She finished her tirade just as she came to a stop before the taller girl, glaring up at her with eyes full of hatred.

Hiro interposed himself between the two girls, coming quickly to Zero Tsu's defence. "Ichigo, that's enough. We all know you haven't agreed with some of Zero Tsu's decisions, but this is uncalled for. You have no right to-"

"No, darling." Zero Tsu said quietly as she gripped his shoulder from behind, pulling him ever so slightly backwards. "Ichigo is correct. I _am_ a monster. I'm an inhuman, imperfect creature made only to fight and die so that humanity may be victorious. I have no other purpose but to pilot Strelizia and put an end to Papa's enemies. I have no other fate than war and, inevitably, my own death. Ichigo is right when she calls me a monster, for monsters do not belong with humans." Her face dropped even further, her eyes gathering tears at their edges. "But, that's why I'm trying so very hard to change myself. I no longer desire to be a monster. I no longer wish to be hated or even feared. I only wish to be a human, and all that entails with it. I will still meet my fate one day, but I wish to meet it as a human, and not a monster." She reached out with her hand, twisting and interlocking her fingers with Hiro's. "I wish to experience all of the love and kindness that humanity has to offer before the end- and I'll bear all of its pains and cruelties too, because I believe it is worth it to suffer so that one may know true joy. I know that I haven't been kind to you, Ichigo. In fact, I was downright cruel at times, needlessly antagonizing you because that was all I knew how to do. Honestly, I feared you. I feared what you could do to me and my darling if you but chose to, and for that, I hated you. But I was wrong to do so. I was wrong to treat you the way that I did. And I regret to say this, but you weren't the only human I ever wronged. I've done horrible, terrible things to far too many parasites to ever count. And for the longest time, I thought it was too late to change my course. I thought I was doomed to be a monster for my entire life. But then, my darling came to me." She smiled then, her face instantly brightening. "And he showed me a way to make my dream a reality. He lead me to the path that would allow me to become human, and then he offered to guide me down it all the way until I reached my goal. His kindness, his devotion and his _love_ touched my very soul, and I took his offer, even though I knew it wouldn't be easy. Now, I must reach out to everyone I have ever wronged and do my best to make amends for all my sins. So, that's why, from the bottom of my heart, I offer you my sincerest apologies and-."

The sound of striking flesh ended her words. Zero Tsu flinched from the strike as her cheek cherried, the print of a palm clear as day. Everyone froze.

"I don't want your damn apology. I want you out of my squad- out of my _family_ \- and out of our lives." Ichigo said sternly, her voice hard and unyielding as she openly glared at Zero Tsu.

"I-I don't understand-"

"You don't understand? Fine then. Let me explain. I won't let them die. Do you hear me? I won't let _any_ of them die for _any_ reason- be it Klaxosaurs or _yo_ _u_. I saw too many parasites die on those plains. Murdered, by the very monsters you share blood with. I had to watch helplessly as that monster of a Klaxosaur brutalized several parasites without a drop of remorse or a hint of mercy. It doesn't matter if you didn't directly kill them, because that _thing_ was after you. It killed them like they were nothing so that it could reach you. I blame you for their deaths and nothing you say will ever change that. Your very presence endangers my family, and I will not tolerate it a minute longer. I don't care what Papa or any of the other adults say- _you_ are not Squad 13. You are not _human_." Without ceremony, Ichigo pushed past the couple, her shoulder brushing against Zero Tsu as she left the room in a hurry. The parasites left behind in her wake listened to her footfalls until they heard her exit the house and slam the door behind her. The silence that followed their leader's departure was almost painful.

Zero Tsu was the first to stir, her composure barely held together as she turned and fled, ascending the stairs by her lonesome. Hiro was already following his partner, but he stopped to turn and speak. "I'm sorry, guys, but I have to handle this. You can go ahead and eat without us- we won't be back tonight." And without another word, Code 016 sped up the stairs to comfort his beloved partner, leaving the rest of his squad to finish their meal.

"Damn." Zorome muttered after a moment of staring dumbfounded at his plate. "That was... that was an utter shitshow..."

"Zorome! Watch your language!" Ikuno scolded him from across the table.

"Well, it was! I'm not wrong, am I? Am I?!" He turned to Futoshi, who was now idly picking at his dinner, showing little interest in the meal.

"Wrong about what?" Goro asked as he entered the dining room

"Oh, man, not you..." Zorome sunk into his chair as the stamen entered the room. "Oh, guys, I don't want to tell him what just happened."

"Tell me what?" Goro tilted his head, perplexed at Zorome's words. He turned to look at Ikuno. "Just what exactly happened? Did I miss something important?"

Ikuni sighed. "Yeah, you did. I suppose I'll fill you in..." and, for the next several minutes, she did just that. Ikuno explained the entirety of the situation, from the moment they had sat down to the moment Goro had stumbled in. When she was done, Goro's face was twisting with concentration.

"Damn..." he muttered once he had heard it all.

"That's what I said!" Zorome piped up before receiving a brutal elbow from Futoshi.

"I suppose I'll have to go speak with Ichigo. Hiro will most likely already be talking to Zero Tsu, working to smooth things over, but Ichigo will be pacing frantically about somewhere. I'll find her and do my best to speak with her, no matter how dark it is out there. Maybe this situation can still be salvaged. Ikuno, you're her closest friend. You should come too."

Ikuno shook her head as she answered. "No, Goro, that's all you. I think... I think I've done enough for tonight."

"Very well." He turned and left, quietly accepting the fact that he was now at an extreme disadvantage without Ikuno's help. But, it wasn't like he could force her to go.

Once again, the three parasites were left alone. But, none of them went about dining. None of them were in the mood to do so- not even Futoshi. His lack of appetite inevitably drew Zorome's attention.

"You ain't gonna eat?"

Futoshi shook his head. "Not tonight. I'm not that hungry anymore. I'll just... save room for breakfast." The boy pushed up and left, leaving his two companions behind, who in turn left shortly thereafter, their own stomachs just as empty.

The dining room was completely barren when Miku finally entered, out of breath and panting hard as she made it just in time to not be _too_ late. She had come all the way from the hospital, having escorted Kokoro all the way there and then just barely making it back in time for dinner with the rest of her squadmates. Or, she would have, if anyone had been left. Instead, she was presented with an empty dining hall, food untouched and not another parasite in sight. "Oh, what the hell...?"

* * *

"Zero Tsu! Wait!" Hiro called out to his beloved just as she turned the corner, ignoring his cries as she retreated to her room. Understandable, given the rather traumatic event she had just experienced.

 _Damn her_. He thought to himself. _How could she have done this to my Zero Tsu?_ He placed the immediate blame upon his squad leader, but he knew it rightly belonged to him. He should have stepped in long before the situation had escalated like that. He should have been able to protect her. He was her _darling_ dammit and that had to mean something.

He reached the door to her room and found it closed off. He hesitated. He reached for the door and gave it a little turn. Not locked then, but he shouldn't just barge in. Now was no time for irrational actions. He was on damage control now. So, he went for the polite route, wrapping his knuckles upon her door as he knocked quietly. "Zero Tsu..."

"..."

He tried again. "It's just me... your _darling._ " He only ever referred to himself as 'darling' in her presence and her's alone. He loved that little name she had given him, but dammit if it wasn't embarrassing in public at times. At least, that was true when _he_ said it, but when _sh_ _e_ said it... well, it made his heart flutter.

"...come in." He sighed as he let out the breath he didn't realize he had been holding. He was relieved beyond words that she would be willing to talk about what had happened. It was the only way for him to salvage the situation.

Hiro pushed open the door and entered, quickly closing the thing behind him before turning to face her- and immediately found himself under attack as she threw her arms about him, their combined weight bumping loudly against the door. She buried her head into his chest and began to sob, her body heaving with the effort. He immediately wrapped his arms protectively about her torso as he craned his neck down to nuzzle the top of her head with his chin. He could feel her horns pressing sharply into his flesh, almost painfully too, but he didn't dare pull away.

Hiro held his beloved Zero Tsu like that for a long moment, listening to her soft sobs as he patted her back. Slowly, he began to slide down the door, taking her with him as he descended until he felt the floor beneath his rump. He stayed in that minorly-inconvenient position as he cradled his beloved softly in his lap. Occasionally, he would whisper reassuring words to her, his heart aching as she was torn asunder by pain.

Hiro knew she was hurting. And badly too, but it wasn't from mere physical pain. Nothing so mundane could reduce his beloved to this state of distress. He had seen Zero Tsu suffer from catastrophic physical pain many times before, and although he didn't enjoy that particular sight, he knew she could endure it. The pain she felt now could never have come from a simple slap. This was trauma, born of Ichigo's cruel and unthoughtful words.

 _Why did she have to be so difficult? Why couldn't she see that Zero Tsu was trying so very hard to change for the better? Why did she insist on such blind hatred?_ Hiro shook his head as he realized that he would never find such answers here, nor were they relevant to the moment. He had his own problems to worry about.

He began to stroke her head, his hands running through that bright, pink hair that reminded him of the sakura trees in full-bloom. He was under the impression that it wouldn't be long until that event occurred, and he hoped Zero Tsu would enjoy the spectacle as much as he surely would. _That will bring a smile to her face. And my, what a beautiful smile that will be._

Hiro noticed that she had calmed herself, her sobbing slowly dying away until she only sniffled occasionally. He held her tighter. "It's okay, Zero Tsu... you did nothing wrong to her..."

He felt her shake her head side-to-side, her horns digging into his lower-rib-cage. The minor pain sent his heart racing for a mysterious reason. "No... no she is right. I am a monster."

"That's not true, my little honeysuckle," he called her by the name he had chosen for her after much deliberation. The name which only _he_ called her. The name which would probably get him laughed at by the other boys, but would bring a chorus of 'awws' from the girls- or so he imagined. "You're trying so very hard to be more than what you were made for. To leave your past behind and become the human you have always wanted to be. You've come so far, Zero Tsu, and I'm so proud of you. I'm thankful that you've let me help you come all this way."

She picked her head up and looked at him. _Oh, how perfect my angel is._ "It won't be enough, darling. It will _never_ be enough to undo what I've done. I've been the death of many, so _very_ many that I can't even remember them all. Do you know what it's like to kill so many innocents that you _forget_ them? It's numbing, darling. I can't even bring myself to feel sorrow for them. And they're dead because of my selfishness. Ichigo is right to call me a monster, for I cannot even grieve for those I've murdered. I can't change my past. I'll _always_ be this monster."

He reached up, his fingers gently brushing aside a lock of hair that had fallen before her eyes. He proceeded to trace the edge of her face until he held her chin in his hand, staring down into pools of verdant spring, each iris offering the chance of a future for both of them. A future in which they didn't have to fight monsters nor were they slaved to an unfathomable and uncaring lord. A future in which she was free of her dark past. Free, to be with him. Free, and happy. _If only she could see the future I see with her!_ "You're right, Zero Tsu. No one can change the past. What happened can never be undone. What you did was wrong." He admitted, watching as her eyes sunk with resignation at the words. But he wasn't finished. "But that doesn't make you a monster forever. After all, the future is not set in stone. And you've done so much to redeem yourself already. You're on the right path now, Zero Tsu, but the right path is often the most difficult. That's why I promised to be there by your side every step of the way, no matter what trials may come. I won't let you falter now, or ever. I'll even carry you if it comes down to it, because I made a promise to stand with you for as long as you would have me. And I intend to keep that promise no matter what. Even if it kills me, because honestly, if I lose you... I wouldn't have any reason left to live. I would be utterly loss without you."

Zero Tsu reached up and pushed away her darling's bangs, revealing two minuscule, blue-tinged bumps that protruded from his temple. There was no mistaking them for what they would be one day: horns, to match her own set. _How easily my corruption spread to him, brought about by my own desire. I cannot allow him to fall any further. He, if nothing else in my life, must remain pure and good. I will truly be a monster if I destroy the only thing that I have ever cared for in my life._ "And that is precisely why I fear for you. The closer you are to me, the longer you are exposed and the less of your humanity you will retain. If I ever leave this world, I don't want you to have nothing. I want you to be happy no matter what, and that cannot happen if you have nothing without me. I've made so many mistakes in my life, darling. I'm sorry, but I can't let you be one-" he stopped her, his hand gripping tightly around her wrist.

"No. Please, _never_ apologize again for that. I could never blame you for this, for I owe you everything. You _are_ my everything. Without you, I would never have found a reason to live all those years ago in Garden. Without you, I would never have been able to pilot and fight alongside my friends. Without you, I would not know what love is. I am what I am today because of you, but I am not a _mistake_. I am your _darling_ , as I have always been and always will be. Nothing more, and nothing less. I chose to stand with you, to be with you and to share every moment of my life and joy with you. But, I also promised to share the weight of your burdens as my own. But, this burden is one I will never allow you to shoulder, for it is by choice that I accept this change. I have never seen you as a burden though, but as a lifeline. I may have to leave humanity behind, but that is what I am willing to sacrifice to see us happy together."

At her darling's words, Zero Tsu looked to be on the verge of tears once more as her face scrunched up and her eyes resumed their leaking again. But this time it was from gratitude for the loyalty he showed her- gratitude, and sorrow at the boy's horrible naivety. "My darling... sweet darling..." she reached up, mirroring his actions mere moments before as her hand ran down the side of his face, "you have no idea what will happen to you if you continue to change. But I _do._ I've seen it. I witnessed firsthand beneath the Crevasse what will become of a being that abandons their humanity for their own desires. You'll become less than a man- you'll become like _hi_ _m_ and I can't ever let that happen to you. What kind of human would I be if I let you turn into that?"

He was silent for a moment as he processed this, when suddenly inspiration struck. "Then promise me you won't let it happen. You have seen it happen, which means you can prevent it from happening to me. So please, just as I promised to be with you forever, promise me you won't let me fall into something like that."

"B-But, darling-" he held a finger to her lips, silencing her before she could protest.

"Consider this a price of your redemption. You know that nothing you say will ever make me abandon you again, so instead do what's right and promise me that you'll never let me fall." He removed his finger and awaited his answer.

She could see it in his eyes that he was dead serious. He trusted her so completely to do this and to be infallible in it. _He is a fool to trust me. But he is the fool I love and he is right. I cannot leave his side ever again, and I know he thinks the same. We are bound together now, for good or ill. What other choice do I have but to make the best of this now? I love him, and so long as I have him, everything will be alright._ "Okay, darling, you win." She sighed, grateful for her darling's dogged stubbornness. _I do not deserve him._ "I promise I'll never let you become a monster."

"That's all I could ever ask of you." He reached out to her as he moved closer, pressing his lips against her's as he kissed her. It was like every other time they had kissed- the world shrank around them, until it was just _her_ and _him_. The blood rushed to her head, blurring her vision as it became unnecessary for her to see anything other than _him_. An electrical buzz began in her toes, tingling as it made its way up her body, wrecking havoc throughout her entire nervous system. His taste made her heart race like nothing else could. Even the exhilaration of live combat paled to the taste of his lips upon her's.

"Do you feel better now?" He asked as they finally tore themselves away from the kiss. She nodded in response to his question, a wonderful smile on her face.

"I do, darling." She scooted closer, laying her head in his lap and closing her eyes, taking comfort in his presence. "You always know just what to say to calm me down. I love you, darling."

Hiro had to smile at this display of concentrated adorableness. He placed a hand on her head, rubbing the pink hair affectionately as he enjoyed the sight of her on his lap, resting and calmed by his words. _I sure salvaged that situation. Hopefully, Ichigo won't be so grumpy tomorrow. I would hate a repeat of this incident; although this part is quite lovely._

"Darling?" Her lovely voice disturbed his thoughts.

"Yes, my honeysuckle?"

"Can you read to me? Like you once did beneath the tree." Her question made him smile with the fond childhood memory. But, he _did_ have a minor problem.

"We don't exactly have a book anymore..."

"You remember the words though, don't you?"

"More or less, I do." He sighed. He would probably have to improvise a few lines here and there, but he could make it work.

"Oh, and darling? Give it a happy ending this time." Improvisation it was then.

He smiled as he held her within his lap and began the story. "In the deepest, darkest part of a forest lived a strong and beautiful beast-princess. Beckoned by the moonlight, she wandered into a country of humans, and in the moonlit garden of a small castle, she fell in love with a prince. But the princess was a beast. She had ashen wings on her back..." and as he spoke, she rested. He recited the tale as best he could, his memory fragmented thanks to the radical reconstruction that had been enacted upon him without his consent. But, despite all of that, he managed to retell the story, more-or-less. He stopped though, as he heard her breathing even out and he looked down, noting with a smile that she had fallen asleep in his lap.

Hiro took great care in extracting himself from beneath her, trying so very hard to not wake her. Once he achieved this, he bent down, scooping her resting form up and into his arms. He carried her quickly to the bed and laid her gently upon it. _She looks so peaceful like this, untroubled by this world's many challenges and hardships. How I wish I could bring her such peace to every waking moment of her life._ He pulled the covers up to her chest, and then sat next to her upon the bed, idly running a hand through her hair as he finished up the story. And this time, he gave it a good ending. "The princess gazed at her beloved prince as her claws reached for his throat. She loved him more than anything and anyone, but the desire to rip his neck apart welled up inside her. As she desperately tried to clench her fist and stop herself, her claws dug into her skin, and blood started gushing out."

"If I kill the prince, I will be freed of this curse..." With tears streaming down her face, she kissed the prince on the cheek and turned to leave him, for that was the only way she could think of to keep him safe. But this final act of love and loyalty awoke the prince, who saw what his beloved had become. Saw, and accepted it, embracing her before she could make her flight. He cried out to her, only sorrow within his voice.

"How? How could you leave me when I love you so much? I cannot live without you, my beautiful princess." And then she saw her error, and with tears streaming down her face, embraced him back, grateful beyond words that she had not left him alone. The two lovers cried together as the prince promised he would be with her forevermore, no matter what she looked like and no matter what she became. And because of this promise, they grew old together and experienced the world side-by-side, knowing true happiness in each other's arms forever after." He made to move after finishing the story, leaving her to rest as was the polite thing to do, but a hand grabbed the cuff of his sleeve, halting his disengagement. He looked down, his eyes meeting Zero Tsu's half-asleep gaze.

"Stay with me, my darling..." She pleaded with him, her voice a whisper as she fought off her drowsiness just long enough to make the request. A request he couldn't willfully ignore.

Hiro held her hand gently as he nodded, laying down next to her and snuggling in close to his beloved. He felt her arm wrap about his torso just as she worked her head into the crook of his arm. She was so warm and soft beside him. _What an angel I have found._ "Goodnight, my love." He whispered, but only her soft breathing answered him.

Zero Tsu was already asleep. Hiro followed soon after.

* * *

Goro walked out of the boarding house and into the night. The sun had long ago set, and darkness had claimed dominance, consuming all before it and bringing its own wave of creatures that actively shunned the brilliance of day. Crickets chirped loudly in the underbrush as frogs croaked in the distant lake, their cries carrying far in the night air. Even the occasional hoot of an owl- a bird that Goro knew existed but had never before been able to observe- pierced the veil.

He found her after some lengthy reconnaissance about the area, glimpsing her silhouette by the edge of the lake, sitting with her legs pulled tight to her chest as she looked out over the still waters that reflected an unbroken image of the pale moon. He casually approached her; though he took great caution in how he did so, for Ikuno had informed him of Ichigo's actions at dinner and he did not wish to escalate the situation any further. So, his footsteps were placed gently and with great care, but also with enough weight behind them to announce his arrival without him having to speak. Despite his measured efforts, Ichigo did not turn to look at him.

Goro was not that far from her when he halted- perhaps only two arm-lengths at best from her backside. But, with the knowledge of what she had done, it felt like he was impossibly distant from her. And, for all intents and purposes, he was. After all, he could barely even begin to fathom the atrocious- not to mention, unprovoked- action she had committed against Zero Tsu. _What had happened to his partner that had reduced her to this... this criminality?_ He tried to speak, to ask what was wrong and what he could do to help her, but he found that the words caught and died in his throat.

What was he to say? What comforts could he offer her if this was how little he truly understood about the girl known as Ichigo? She may have looked the same as before, but she had changed on the inside after the failed assault upon the Gran Crevasse. He wondered deeply about that change. He himself had felt it occur within her as he had cradled her limp, crying form just as they had been pulled to safety. He had never seen her so distressed before. So scared. So _vulnerable_. Was that the cause for her recent violence? Was she overcompensating because she felt exposed? It couldn't be. Ichigo wasn't like that- or, at least, she _hadn't_ been like that. But that was then, and this was now. For better or worse, Ichigo had changed.

 _Who was Ichigo now?_

If Goro was being honest with himself, such a question scared him greatly. That change within her was something he didn't truly understand. And if he couldn't understand it, then how was he to help her? For the longest time, Ichigo had been his emotional rock. Stable, rational and reliable, she had been everything he could ever require of a partner- both in the romantic-sense and the combat-sense. But now? Now he didn't even know where to begin. The trauma of the Gran Crevasse had been too much for her, breaking his beloved Ichigo and twisting her into something new. Something different. Something _unknown._

 _What does it matter?_ A voice in his head asked. _She is still Ichigo. She still needs you._ And then he knew what he had to do. He approached her, finally crossing the distance between them before he sat down next to her, cross-legged and staring out over the water. He didn't speak. He didn't need to. She acknowledged his presence after perhaps a minute of silence.

"I've made... a terrible mistake, Goro."

 _She has indeed._ _Shhh,_ he silenced the voice. He knew it was true, but he couldn't bring himself to accuse her of anything. She didn't need another enemy in this time. She needed an ally. She needed a _partner_. And Goro _was_ that partner.

"It's no use beating yourself up about it, Ichigo. _Everyone_ makes mistakes. Only Papa is infallible, and you're not Papa. That's okay though, because you're Ichigo. You're the best squad leader we could ever ask for, and I wouldn't have any other partner in the entire world."

As his good-natured words registered in her mind, she perked her head up just a little bit, but it was something. Much better than just the dead silence that had hung in the air moments ago. "Papa...? Yes, Papa, how _perfect_ he is," her voice was nearly a whisper, so quiet was she that Goro had to lean forward to hear the rest of what she muttered. "So, so perfect. So very unlike _me_ , the _failure_ of a leader and parasite."

 _That_ caught his attention. Failure of a leader? Of a parasite? It didn't make sense initially, but as he thought about it, he could make the connection. It was a long-shot, but it was understandable how her mind had connected the violence against Zero Tsu to being a failure. He moved to reassure her, to bolster her self-esteem. "Ichigo, no, you're not a failure. Not by any means have you failed as our leader. You've lead us to victory after victory, quite literally snatching it from the jaws of defeat on more than one occasion." He smiled, reaching out to place a hand on her shoulder. "Do you remember that one Klaxosaur? The storm-variant that was like a giant cloud? Argentea charged in like they always do, but you saved them by sacrificing yourself. And then I just made matters worse by jettisoning you to safety. Even after that stupid decision, you came back to me, rescuing me from certain death. That was a wonderful day for me, for it was the day I realized I loved you. It was also the day I knew that I could go up against the entire world and you would always have my back. So, please, don't call yourself a failure, because, to me, you're the greatest friend anyone could ever have. And that goes double as our squad leader."

She raised her head fully, turning it to look at him. The sorry state of her face caught his breath. The moon's pale glow, reflecting from the still waters, bathed her face in a ghastly-white. Her eyes were scrunched tightly, the tears flowing freely from them, catching the moon's light and twinkling like captured stars. Her mouth was twisted into a frown, turned upside down as she held back a wave of sorrow.

"B-But... I failed _them_ , Goro. All of them, lost to this world..." Her voice was unlike any other time he had heard it. It was fear, it was hatred and it was guilt, all rolled into one little girl. His hand flew to his chest. _That pain again... what was it when someone you loved was hurting?_

"Who? Who did you fail?" He managed to say, barely able to speak over the intense pain suddenly blooming behind his ribs.

Her face hardened in the moonlight, an expression he had never seen before dropping into place. "All of Squad 26 is dead because of that s _tupid_ Praetorian. Nine Gamma and Nine Bravo- _dead_ , because of that monster _again_ and that foolish order to take it _alive_. And the rest of them are just as dead. Codes 189, 947, 799, 828..." She continued her list, naming off parasites that Goro had never even heard of before. Had she really memorized all of those codes?

"Ichigo, did you... did you _memorize_ the casualty list?"

She flinched as if he had struck her; though he hadn't moved at all for her entire tirade. " _Memorize?!_ Never _._ I _know_ the fallen, because I _promised_ them I wouldn't forget them. I promised them this as I watched them die before my very eyes. They were my comrades, my siblings, my _responsibilities..._ and I could do _nothing_ to stop them from being slaughtered. And now, what did I get for all of this failure? A damn medal. A _medal_! As if that somehow makes up for all the lives lost. As if that makes up for all those I left behind in that field. As if that makes up for all the children that I _failed_."

"Ichigo-" he reached for her, but she was already standing, pulling her medal from around her neck. She looked down at it as it caught the moon's light with its metallic sheen, shining in the dark with false light.

"This _thing_ is just a monument to my colossal failure and nothing more. I renounce it."

"Wait, Ichigo, don't do anything rash-"

She took a stance, cocking her arm back with the medal in hand. "I _renounce_ it!" And then she hurtled it, throwing it far over the lake. Goro watched it impact the water in a _plop_ , disappearing almost immediately beneath the surface.

"What have you done, Ichigo?" He asked, shocked by her irrational actions. The medal, though even he admitted was gaudy in some aspects, was still technically a part of their uniform now. Wearing it was necessary and not an option they had been given. When he looked back to his partner, her shoulders had slumped as she cast her gaze to the water before her.

The whole dramatic affair seemed to have exhausted Ichigo and she collapsed forward, her knees splashing into the water. He reached out to her, grabbing ahold of her shoulder. He felt her back heave and he knew she was crying once again. He pulled her to him, cradling her in his arms. She didn't stop crying as she leaned into his chest. "G-Goro, I, I, I, can't... I can't stop-"

"Shhh, Ichigo, it's okay, I'm here now. I'm here for you. You're alright, it's safe to cry. It's safe here..."

"G-Goro, I can't, I can't stop _them_... I can't stop the _screaming_... how, how do I stop them? I can't... I can't stop it, Goro, the dead are screaming..." Ichigo continued on and on, balling her eyes out as Goro dutifully cradled her in his arms. He continued to whisper to her, doing his best to reassure her with kind words, but it was her words that struck him to his very core. For the first time in his life, he didn't know what to say to her to actually make the pain go away.

Goro didn't know how to stop the screaming either.

* * *

Dr. Werner Franxx entered his lab, the mechanical door closing with a hiss behind him as he made his unhurried way through the cluttered work-space. The entire area was dingy and squalid, lit as it was by a single, fluttering lamp of incandescent lighting. The conditions were not what one would expect of the world's leading expert in just about every scientific field that was still relevant. He passed by stacks of data-slates piled high like ancient texts, specimen jars that teetered dangerously upon the edges of examination tables, and even a sample of Klaxian tissue-alloy suspended within a solution of nonreactive liquids.

The doctor found his office chair and pushed upon the back of the headrest, dumping a stack of papers from the seat and onto the floor. He couldn't care less where they ended up. He sighed as he settled his ancient derriere into the now-empty leather cushion and tossed away the data-slate he had been carrying. It clattered onto the table with a racket. As a man of science, he should have had more respect for his equipment, but after the day he had gone through, he was utterly exhausted and couldn't care less for such... irrelevancies. After tiredly rubbing his one good eye with his hand, he finally took a look at the data-slate's luminous, blue-tinged screen.

The contents of the data-slate were rather routine, but otherwise promising. The report upon it displayed the progress of repairs for the units of Squad 13. All things considered, it was going fairly well. A specialized APE salvage team had been deployed to the now Klaxosaur-held Plantation 26 and had been successful in retrieving Genista's cannon as well as Argentea's arms. As for Delphinium's blade and Chlorophytum's leg though, there had been no sign. Replacements were already being fabricated though, as nanomagnesium alloy was wedded to shaped-magma in the foundries right below his very feet, hidden deep within the industrial district of Plantation 13 itself.

Strelizia, as always, was a special case. She hadn't a scratch upon her, despite the multiple reports that indicated her involvement in heavy fighting. She was only missing a few paint stripes- nothing that couldn't be fixed by an hour of attention. It was almost ludicrous how pristine her condition was.

For all that had been salvaged or returned though, so much more had been lost. The bodies of the Nines, alongside their specialized Franxxs, had been crushed by the arrival of the Gutenberg class. Not even the retrieval of whatever remained of Squad 26 had been possible, but none of that bothered him as much as the fact that the salvage team had been completely unable to retrieve a single tissue sample from the Praetorian. According to the after-action reports, the beast had lost multiple limbs and had shed gross amounts of skin, but none of it had ever been found.

The fact that the Praetorian left no trace of its existence wouldn't normally have been a bad thing, but, for him, a man of science that had been tasked with uncovering its secrets, it was very poor luck indeed. He had no samples to work with due to any trace of the creature upon the battlefield simply disintegrating. It didn't even matter that he had the damn thing stored within Plantation 13's auxiliary hanger and under heavy guard, for sample collection was still an impossibility. Nothing pierced the hide of the Praetorian. Nothing capable of being wielded by a man that is.

He had tried, of course, within hours of receiving the specimen, to slice a portion of it off for further study. But, no man-made alloy could even scratch it, let alone gather a sample of sufficient size to examine. He had employed a plasma-scalpel too, its energy-based 'blade' screaming ineffectually as it did absolutely nothing to the hide. In the end, only a magma-scalpel had been capable of doing the deed, but he had not taken five steps with his freshly-acquired prize when it had withered and wasted away to dust in his very hands. And so, he had been forced to study the creature as a whole, whereupon he had once again hit a roadblock in his studies.

The Praetorian _denied_ him. As impossible as that sounded, it was the truth.

Soon after resolving to study it within the hanger itself, he had brought down multitudes of advanced scientific equipment- the best humanity had access to, which is to say that it was the best equipment in the _entire world_. And the Praetorian denied them _all_. It denied every attempt to study or probe it with commendable stubbornness. It even had the audacity to deny the laws of physics, for the materials that composed it gave off nothing he could detect nor did they react to anything he did. Audio pulses designed for mapping internal skeletal structure? Denied. Microscopes so powerful that they could see the basic, elemental structure of all matter? Denied. Whatever elements composed the beast merely reflected sound and light without actually giving off any. If he hadn't seen it for himself then he would never have thought it possible. Whatever element that composed it wasn't even carbon-based, or even close to anything upon the periodic table, so it was impossible to get an accurate date upon its age. It could be a week old or it could be older than the planet itself, he didn't _know_. It was truly aggravating. Aggravating, and exhausting.

Dr. Franxx was tired. He hadn't been this tired in decades. He had worked furiously to unravel the Praetorian's secrets in a desperate bid to find the remnant of the past, but obviously it had all been rather pointless. He was so tired in fact, that he didn't notice the other individual within his office until they spoke.

"Good evening, doctor." The voice spilled from the shadows, only slightly tainted by artificial distortion.

Werner would have jumped had he been in his youth. Or still cared about preserving his life. Or even still understood fear as any natural creature would. But, he was long past any of those, and he only let out a sigh at the unwelcomed guest. "Oh... it's _you_. When did you get here?"

"I've been here for some time, Werner. In fact, ever since my ceremonial duties were concluded yesterday, I've simply been waiting here for you. We missed you, by the way, at the ceremony; though I'm sure none of the children even knew you were invited." The voice came again from the darkness, as if the intruder believed they could remain hidden. A simple, double-blink followed by a roll of his organic eye though and the veil of unlight was removed by his augmetic eye's night-vision mode. He could see the man now, standing across the room with hands clasped behind his back, but his identity was still shrouded, kept hidden by the electronic scramblers integrated into his mask that caused his entire head to pixelate upon any digital recorder. This, of course, was a dead giveaway to his actual identity as only a single sage possessed such countermeasures on their person.

"Well, I have been busy. Unlike you geezers, I can't play dress-up and wear a ridiculous mask all the time. I have far too much to do down here."

"Yes, I understood that you were busy. That's why I waited for you in here for all these long, lonely hours. Don't shed a tear for my sacrifice though, time is nothing to an immortal being such as I. It merely exists for us. For _you_ however, well... I'd say it's immeasurably more important. How terrible it must be for you to ration it all out, like it's some sort of natural resource instead of something that can be waived aside through a simple injection."

Werner moved his gaze until he bored into the pixelated area. He was only slightly hoping that such an unwavering stare into the man's supposedly hidden location would unnerve him, but it was more than likely simple fantasy. "You know damn well that our mortality isn't something that can simply be waived aside. Everything comes at a cost, and it's certainly not just a 'simple' injection. Now, what did you come here for?"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, Werner. Your advanced age certainly hasn't improved your social abilities- or your manners. What if I say that I came all this way to simply check in on an old friend?"

"I'd say that was a blatant lie, because we were never friends. Allies? From a certain perspective... sure. But friends? Definitely not. Besides, we both know that you wouldn't have abandoned your high-perch in orbit simply to say 'hello' to an old man. How long has it even been since you last felt _real_ gravity pull on your wasted frame? Years? Decades? Jesus, man, have you even been on the ground this century? Hell, can you even _walk_ under your own strength, or have you been waiting here all this time because you got stuck over there in the corner like a forgotten doll?"

The man straightened and began to walk, his gait deliberate and smooth, completely unhurried as he began to pace about the room; though he still clung to the shadows like a calf clings to its mother. "You needn't worry about my physical capabilities, Werner. I am still able to walk under my own power." But that was a lie. Nothing escaped Dr. Franxx or his augmented senses. He could hear the faint whirring of an augmetic exoskeleton beneath the man's robes; nonetheless, he nodded as he played along.

"Yes, yes, I can see that. So, why did you _truly_ come here then?"

"Hmm. Do I really have to tell you the truth? Or is your wit just as sharp as the last time I walked the Earth?"

"The Praetorian." He stated.

"Ahh, the blade of the mind remains keen. Yes, I came to check in on the state of the Praetorian. And, of course, how your studies progress upon it. Have you unraveled its secrets yet? Have you found any remnant of _him_?"

Werner was silent for a moment. He had an answer to the question, it just wasn't a good one. "No." He admitted with some reluctance. "I have not. Truth be told, nothing short of a magma-blade can even pierce its hide. I suppose enough explosive force will also damage it, but I'd hate to go throwing dynamite at a scientific sample, especially when we don't wish to endanger the _possible_ remnant. So, for the moment, I'm at an impasse."

"Hmm. I was under the impression that you had studied their kind before. Was I wrong?"

"No. In fact, I've personally dissected at least two score of the creatures, to include several Gutenberg classed subjects and even a Lehman class. But never before have I ever encountered anything like this before. The creature it... it _denies_ me."

His guest let out a chuckle at that admission. "Denies you? The creature isn't capable of sentience. It's a Klaxosaur after all. It's a rabid cur, and nothing more."

"Then explain the weapon." His verbal riposte was utterly perfect. But, the sage simply waved it aside.

"Klaxosaurs come in many forms, doctor. Is it that much of a stretch to believe that one has managed to adapt to new circumstances, especially considering what may lie within? Besides, you have the 'weapon' in your possession too. Tell me though, how advanced does it _really_ look? Does it not look _formed_ rather than crafted? If anything, the thing is a crude, primitive tool, but it is far closer to an extension of the Klaxosaur than it is a separate entity. I'm sure we've just stumbled upon an artificially advanced specimen, its evolution accelerated beyond that of its brethren due to the remnant acting as a catalyst; nonetheless, it is still a rabid beast, and nothing more. It cannot 'deny' you as a sentient would."

"And yet... it does just that. Look here," he turned, grabbing at the plexiglass tube that held a Klaxosaur sample within it in a preserving fluid. He lifted it before him, thrusting the tube in the direction of the sage. "See this sample?" The sage nodded. "It is dormant. _Dormant,_ not _dead._ The only samples we are ever able to retain from the corpses are inert and non-functioning, their cells frozen in this state of perpetual dormancy. My theory is that some sort of natural degradation has severed the connection to such areas of the Klaxosaur's body so thoroughly that when it finally dies these areas persist because they don't realize that they're dead yet. The rest of the Klaxosaur, however, usually dissolves, and I believe that this is a _conscious_ effort on part of the Klaxosaur itself in order to deny us the opportunity to study them on a greater level. Think of it as a fail-safe command. However, due to the natural degradation, certain areas of the body will fail to follow this command, and are thus left for us to find and study."

"An interesting theory, Werner. But, how does it support your claim to the Praetorian possessing a semblance of sentience?"

"Is it not obvious? This tissue sample in my hand is only possible because the Klaxosaur it originated from failed to initiate the fail-safe at a one-hundred percent rate. But, the Praetorian is different. It's more advanced. Every time I slice a piece off or try to sample it, I get nothing in return. The Praetorian isn't simply stuck in a dormant state like I initially believed- it's _actively_ resisting my efforts. Not only that, but this implies that the Praetorian is _aware_ of my efforts and _understands_ what I am trying to do. This is no mere beast that I am contending with. These are the actions of a _sentient_ being."

"Mighty claims from a man of renowned skepticism. So, if I were to indulge your fantasy for a moment and say that the creature actually _did_ possess sentience, then how would that affect our ability to retrieve the remnant?"

Dr. Franxx held up two fingers. "There are two possibilities if my theory is true. The first, is the most likely given what we know to be fact. We interred him in that thing whilst he was still conscious. It's entirely possible that he still _exist_ _s_ within the Klaxosaur, but not necessarily in physical form. The sentience that resists me could very well be _his_ sentience resisting me, striking out at anything it perceives as a threat. I don't think I need to explain to you how much of a disaster _that_ situation would be. A mind that tortured and corrupted, bonded to a Klaxosaur body? I shudder to imagine the horrors he could unleash if he were to escape."

"Hmm. You make a valid argument in that regard. We had not considered that he could still be conscious. That would make things rather... difficult. Especially since we merely require the information locked within his mind. If we were to try to retrieve it and boggle the extraction process then we might just lose everything we've sacrificed so much for." The man mused upon this for a moment, the shadows doing their best to conceal his already spoiled identity. "You said there was a second possibility?"

"Indeed I did; though this one is more of a fantasy than a theory. There is a chance that he still exists within the Klaxosaur and is completely separate from it. This would imply that the Klaxosaur itself is the one to resist my efforts, and not him. I feel like this would be ideal for us, for extracting him would only require some specialized magma-tools. A drill, perhaps."

"Hmmmm. That would be most ideal for us; though it is also the most unlikely. So, what did you have in mind for solving this conundrum?"

Dr. Franxx shrugged his shoulders. He felt heavy. Heavy, and tired. His eyelids were particularly guilty of this. "I don't know. I'm too tired to think clearly. I should rest, and figure it all out in the morning."

"Morning? It's 0737..."

"Is it? Damn. I'm nearing fifty hours without rest then. Curse this damn Klaxosaur..." He leaned back in his seat, rubbing his eyes as he fought the call to sleep. It was a very strong desire.

"Well, if you're that tired, I suppose I should see myself out then. Papa desires the secrets of the Praetorian and the recovery of the remnant, but unlike he, I understand that such a process cannot be rushed. I'll go speak with Papa and inform him that all is going well and buy you some time. Maybe I'll get lucky and get you a day or two before he starts to get agitated. Just remember, Werner, that only _you_ can do this. Use that human element that you're so proud of to its fullest advantage." And with that, the man scooted around Werner, sticking close to the shadows as he made his way to the exit.

"You would do that for me?" Werner asked, turning as he tracked the sage upon his exit vector.

"Of course," the sage said in passing, "anything for a _friend._ Now, get some sleep and I'll return in the evening. I might even bring you dinner."

"Alright then. I suppose I owe you my thanks, my old.. _. friend_." He said as he turned to the desk and prepared to lay his head on it, desperately craving a few hours of much-needed rest before another day of trial and error experiments. "Rest assured..." he yawned, something his augmentations altered into a mechanical wheeze, "... your faith in the 'human' element will be..." his mind made the connection then, snapping the pieces together in a wonderful moment of euphoria, "human... element?"

The doctor surged to his feet, slamming his palms onto the desk. The sage whirled about at this action, fearing that the old man had fallen and seriously injured himself. He was relieved to see that his fear went unfounded. "I have it! I have the answer!"

The sage tilted his head. "The answer? How could you possibly have the answer to the Praetorian?"

"Well, not entirely _the_ answer, but I know _how_ to get the answer now."

The sage remained where he was, skeptical as to this new energy flowing from Werner. The doctor had quite clearly passed the line and had entered into delirium. "And what exactly is this new approach that has you so ecstatic?"

"The human element! How could I have been so blind?!"

"Hmm. I'm... not following, Werner."

"How? It's so blatantly obvious. Look here," he whirled and took up the specimen tube once more, showing it once again to the sage, "what do you see here within this tube?"

"Werner..." he sighed, "is this really necessary? I thought you were done for the day?"

"Indulge me, if you will. For old time's sake."

"Fine. I see a Klaxosaur tissue sample."

"Exactly! And what does this _not_ contain?"

"That's a rather broad question. It's a specimen sample. There is any number of items it doesn't currently contain."

"Agh! You're as oblivious as the rest of them! Think _simple_. Think back to the basics of chemistry."

"The elements?" The sage guessed, for there were many basic resources of chemistry.

"Precisely! The _elements_. A Klaxosaur contains many elements, most of them unknown, but none of them have ever once contained _iron_. Not in a hundred years have I ever seen one contain the _human_ element."

The sage nodded as understanding began to dawn upon him. "So, find the iron... and we find the remnant?"

"Exactly. All we need is a method of finding any trace of the element, and we can tell whether or not he is physically in there. It would also help us know precisely _where_ he is as well- assuming he still exists- so that we can begin immediate preparations to extract him without endangering his life."

"Hmm." The sage nodded as he thought this through. "Scientifically sound in principal, but I was under the impression that the Praetorian was 'denying' you."

"Don't mock me, boy." He scolded his guest; though he didn't really remember which of them was older. It was entirely possible that he was the youngest one here. That was a sobering thought. "And don't worry, I have something in mind. It's a stretch, really, but if it works then who the hell cares how ridiculous it is?"

"You're making this sound like a gamble."

"In a sense, it would be. But it's not like we would lose anything by attempting to do this. Now, I'm gonna need your help to do it."

"That's unnerving. What could I possibly do to assist the great Dr. Franxx?"

"I need your authority. This plantation is equipped with a deep-level atomic elemental scale. I haven't the authorization to utilize it. You, on the other hand..."

"You want to use that machine on the Praetorian? Do you really think it would work?"

Dr. Franxx replied with utmost honesty. "How the hell should I know? It's a shot in the dark really, but those deep-level scanners have been used to seek out rich deposits of minerals based purely off of atomic structure. Occasionally though, one can even detect a Klaxosaur if it's directly below during activation, purely by sensing the atomic weight of the elements in the area. If the scanner were closer, perhaps even touching the Klaxosaur, well we just might be able to tell what elements are in it- and precisely _where_ they are."

The sage nodded as some of the doctor's enthusiasm wore off on him. The plan was actually beginning to sound viable."In theory, it could work. In fact, I don't see any reason for it to _not_ work. Alright, I'll strong-arm the plantation governor into allowing its use if you make the necessary preparations to move the specimen into position. I want a heavy guard at all timed though. No complacency."

"The Praetorian is already under heavy guard. Two riot-class franxxs are charged with that duty."

"Double that and the infantry guard. I want no mistakes for this. Besides, the scanner's activation might alert the Praetorian itself, so I'll make the necessary preparations to ensure the S.T.A.R.R.S are on stand-by as well."

"Right, right, you go do that. I'll head to the auxiliary hanger and prep him for movement."

The sage turned once again and made his way to the exit; though he stopped just shy of the door and glanced over his shoulder. "Oh, and Werner?"

"Hmm."

"You may have gotten grumpier with age, but you're still a joy to work with at times. This is just like the old days." And with that, the sage left, leaving Dr. Franxx to his duties. But first, an hour or two of sleep wouldn't hurt anyone.

Werner sat back down in his chair, setting an alarm in his personal comm device as he did so. It wouldn't do to oversleep. After all, an old friend awaited him. He wondered if the man would even remember him, but he was more worried about _what_ he would remember over _whom_ he would remember.

* * *

Hiro was awakened in the morning by the smallest of disturbances to his otherwise blissful slumber. A pink hair, belonging to his beloved honeysuckle herself, had managed to find its way into his nostril, whereupon it began to agitate him as it became clogged within the cavity. Waking in such a manner was not his most desirable method, but the sight to which he awoke to was enough to make him forget the minor inconvenience.

Zero Tsu herself was snuggled up tightly against him, her head resting within the crook of his arm so that she exhaled softly down his chest whilst her mouth remained slightly open in the most adorable manner possible. She also had her left arm wrapped about his torso, the surprising strength within the limb securing her to him in a most pleasing manner. Meanwhile, his own hand reached beneath her neck and down her back, but he lost sight of it before the bicep due to the thick covering of pink hair that had exploded about his- no, _her_ \- bed. Until that moment in their relationship, he had never truly appreciated just how long her hair actually was. This regret also extended into his appreciation for her inherent cuteness, which he was now just finding to be beyond perfect. She just looked so peaceful sleeping next to him. The entire scene was absolute perfection in his eyes. Nothing could ruin it. _Nothing._

A sharp knock sounded at the door, resounding through the room and breaking the stillness of the scene. Thankfully, it did not disturb his beloved's slumber, but it did quicken the beat of his heart. _Who the hell could that possibly be?!_

"Hey! Hey! Hiro? Zero Tsu? Y'all in there or nah?" Zorome's voice came through the door, slightly muffled, but otherwise undiluted in its power to annoy. Hiro rolled his eyes, sighing internally. _Of course it was Zorome._

"Are you coming down anytime soon?" Zorome continued his inquiries, but before Hiro could even reply he heard the doorknob turning, followed shortly after by Zorome gasping as he entered.

" **AH!** _Man!_ What are you guys doing?!" He backed up until he stood on the threshold of the doorway and spread his arms, hands waving away any forthcoming reply from Hiro. "You know what? I don't wanna know, man. Keep it to yourselves."

"Zorome!" He hissed through clenched teeth. Zero Tsu had not yet awakened, and he aimed to keep it that way. "What are you doing here?!"

"Huh? Oh, right. I'm just here to let you know that we have a, uhm, _situation_ downstairs and we need _you_ to help resolve it."

Hiro's eyes narrowed as Zorome put special emphasis upon the word 'situation'. "What exactly do you mean? What type of _situation_?" His mind raced to uncover the cryptic meaning bound within the word. _Was it Ichigo? What has she done?_ "Is it Ichigo? Did she..."

"What? No, no, no, it's not Ichigo. Ikuno sent me, actually. I haven't seen Ichigo all morning. I think she is sick, or something, I dunno."

 _Not... Ichigo? Then what else could it be? And why had Ikuno sent for him? Where was Goro? Was he taking care of Ichigo? What time was it?_ "Alright, fine, I'm coming. Just, give me a moment to wake up Zero Tsu and I'll be down."

"Aight. Be quick about it, man." Zorome said as he slumped his body against the doorframe. Hiro glared at him.

"You can leave now. We'll be there in a few minutes."

"No can do, man. Orders and whatnot. I'm bringing you back or I'm barred from breakfast. And I'm _really_ hungry, so please hurry up."

Hiro rolled his eyes. Zorome was the sheer embodiment of stubbornness at times. Ikuno had chosen well for her messenger/delivery-boy. "Can you at least tell me about the situation?"

The parasite shrugged. "Like I said man, I'm not really paying attention to all the drama."

"You did not _say_ that!"

"Well, I _meant_ it then. But, really I have no clue. I wasn't really paying attention. Some parasites just showed up this morning, name-dropping you and talking about the Praetorian this and the successful-mission that. Oh, and something about the stars. Whatever the hell _that_ means."

And suddenly, Hiro found it extremely imperative to make it downstairs.


	10. Chapter 10: Hollow Beings

**Chapter 10**

 **Hollow Beings**

Well, this chapter took longer than expected, but I suppose that should be the norm at this point. Other than a few hiccups, it went rather well- all things considered. The next chapter is already well along the way and I have something special in mind for _that_ one, so stay tuned for more! As always, I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing it.

* * *

It was quiet, at first, and utterly still. As silent and placid as the river Styx. But, this was not the realm of death by any means. This was a place of life. Even if it was a false life. And as that false life lived, so too did her awareness expand to bring evidence of such.

The wind blew peacefully about her, brushing through the luscious stalks of grass as it was spurred forth and onward by the rising heat of the mid-morning sun. The lord of all celestial bodies itself was little more than a drop of molten-iron in the vacant sky. The warmth it gave off was pleasant and welcomed, and the light it radiated out cast shadows from the very trees that it nourished.

She began to notice the surrounding fauna as well. Small mammals moved through the grass or scurried beneath the canopy of trees that lined the area, chittering about as they sought food or mates. Birds chirped as they fluttered from branch to branch, hiding in relative safety from the high-soaring raptors that prowled the endless, blue skies far, far above her head. Deep in the tangles of the forest, a peaceful herbivore raised its head to the sky and let out a dull roar, seeking the herd it had become separated from. Despite all of the emerging activity, the scene she found herself in was rather tranquil, at peace even, everything seeming to revolve around her as the simple dress she wore tumbled lazily about in the breeze.

The girl breathed in deeply, inhaling the scent the wind carried. It was salty, for it came from the ocean not far from where she now stood. That scent pleased her very much and was second only to one other scent. A scent that her advanced olfactory senses picked up on immediately as _he_ entered the sheltered glade they had claimed as their homestead. She turned, sighting in upon her beloved just as he entered the area, breaking away from the shadowed path that lead away from their home and to a small pond. She could see him lugging a pole and freshly-caught fish, a wide smile upon his handsome face.

 _Darling! He has returned to me._

Zero Tsu practically sprinted across the glade to meet him, her beloved dropping the gear and turning to meet her approach. She leaped into his outstretched arms, her momentum enough to send them both toppling over. They rolled through the grass, giggling gleefully as they were reunited. "Dahhhhliiiiing!" She whined. "I _missed_ you!"

Her darling continued to laugh as he spoke. "Zero Tsu, I was only fishing with Goro!"

She nuzzled up under his chin, taking a deep whiff of his scent. It was intoxicating to her, far better than the ocean could _ever_ be. "That's still too far from me..." she planted a kiss on his neck, taking a devilish little bite of the flesh there. _Oh, how I_ _spoil_ _him..._

"And it wasn't _that_ long! Maybe an hour at most..." She felt his arms wrap around her waist, pulling her closer to him. He nuzzled his chin against her head and she couldn't have wished for a more wholesome display of affection.

"An hour is _still_ too long. An hour? An hour without you is like an hour without air, my darling..." She replied as she brought her head up only to look down into his eyes. They lived near the ocean, but it was his eyes that she preferred to lose herself in for hours, for those irises were infinitely more vibrant than any body of water. She smiled. "I missed you, my darling..."

He returned her smile. "I know you did, my little honeysuckle. I know you did. I'm here now though, so don't worry." His hands came up to grip either side of her face. He gently pulled her down and into a kiss, their lips meeting and sending her heart racing in that moment. She broke the kiss, much to her darling's disappointment.

"Darling, have I ever showed you what comes _after_ a kiss...?" She was expecting a blush from him, for he was easily embarrassed. But, he only smiled.

"Of course, my little honeysuckle. I know what to do..." He said, his voice strong with confidence. His hands dropped down, grabbing ahold of her waist as he pulled her closer to him. "Zero Tsu..." This was highly unusual behavior for him- to take such a lead- but his assertive demeanor sent thrills through her body.

"Darling..." She cooed softly.

They changed positions, swapping places as they rolled to the side, her beloved darling now on top, his surprisingly athletic form looming above her. She felt his hand creep up and along her backside, nudging into the small of her back. His other hand gently caressed her cheek, brushing aside a lock of hair. "Now, Zero Tsu, I need you..."

"Yes, darling..." His gaze invited her in and she dove; deep, deep, deep into those eyes she went, until her perception narrowed to just _him_ and _her_.

He leaned in close and her senses overloaded instantly by his sheer proximity. His voice was full of longing and desire, and she mirrored those same feelings. "I need... I need you... to wake up."

And the false life fell away.

* * *

Zero Tsu was awakened by the gentle nudging and soft breath of her darling as he roused her from her restful slumber. His voice, like the sweetest of honey, filtered into her mind. "My Zero Tsu, it is time to wake up..." Her eyes fluttered open, instantly falling upon him as he smiled in the morning light. Her dream had been interrupted, and that was rather unfortunate, but it wasn't much of a loss when compared with reality. A dream wasn't tangible. It was simply _fantasy_ , after all. But her darling wasn't like that. He was tangible. He was _real_. And he was _her's_ _._

"Dahhhling..." she muttered groggily, still struggling to wake up, "I had the most wonderful dream..." her vision was blurry at first as she adjusted to the world of the waking, but when it finally sharpened into focus, she studied his every feature in detail, drinking in the sight of her beloved darling. His soft, dark hair that she could run her fingers through endlessly and never truly tire of; eyes of deepest-blue that she could lose herself in for hours if she weren't careful; a soft smile, tugging at his lips, the expression one so pure and faithful that it could make her heart beat twice in a single instant. His _lips,_ which made her heart race if she but touched them to her's. She did so now, stretching to plant a pleasant kiss on those savory little delicacies, the moment freezing in her mind as perfectly romantic and everlasting, a sensation spreading throughout her body that was entirely unique and brought about purely by her love for _him_. "And _that_ is where it left off..."

"Ugh! Are you guys _really_ gonna do this _now_?!" She whipped her head around, seeking the one to have spoiled the moment of intimacy. _Of course, it was Zorome_. She stared daggers into him, willing him to turn and leave them alone. _That dream was going somewhere..._ _I want nothing more than to follow it…_

The stamen stood with hands upon hips, glaring at their cuddled form with extreme impatience. It was clear through his sheer obliviousness that he desired to be anywhere _but_ there at that exact moment. He gestured with his hand in a rolling motion, as if to hurry them along. "Come on you two, don't drag this out anymore than you have to. Breakfast is getting cold…"

She pouted, turning to her darling and pleading with her eyes for _just_ five more minutes of perfect, unearthly bliss. Darling shook his head though, an apology writ upon his face. Her heart dropped, but if darling was already saying 'no' then there was definitely a good reason for it. She trusted his judgment more than she trusted her own. Especially when it came to humans. She nodded to him, giving her blessing to whatever course of action he had chosen as she slipped free from his loving embrace.

Hiro turned his attention to Zorome as Zero Tsu disengaged from his body. Her absence was like a piece of himself gone. An instant sapping of warmth, comfort, and emotional contentment. The sensation was an all-around unpleasant one. _This better be worth it._ He rose from the bed shortly after Zero Tsu did, watching from the corner of his eye as she pulled on her boots; the only article of clothing she had taken off before falling asleep.

Since the pair of lovebirds had fallen asleep so quickly in each other's arms, neither of them had bothered to change out of their respective uniforms. Both of them surely felt a bit grimy, but they would certainly survive. Hiro was only worried that someone might comment on his odor. But, if the S.T.A.R.R.S had arrived downstairs, then he would have to forego such pleasantries as a morning shower- at least, for now.

"Y'all ready yet?" Zorome asked impatiently. Hiro nodded.

"I suppose we are. Please," he gestured with his hand to the door and the hallway beyond, "lead the way."

Zeru Tsu swept up behind him, her scent filling his senses. It was pure, heavenly and good, like flowers blooming after a heavy rain. She worked her hand into his and he took it, following after Zorome as they headed downstairs.

* * *

Zero Tsu followed faithfully behind her beloved darling as he, in turn, followed Zorome down the stairs. At the bottom of the steps, the trio finally encountered Ikuno face-to-face, the pistil standing idle by the final step. She acknowledged their arrival with no more than a polite nod. But, her tense expression betrayed her anxiety.

"I was worried neither of you would be leaving your room anytime soon." Ikuno said and Zero Tsu's heart skipped a couple of beats. 'Your room', that's what Ikuno had said. It easily translated into _our room._ It was official then. _He lives with me now. You can't take that back, Ikuno. No one can._ The idea that the others had accepted her claim to her darling filled her with such a pleasant joy that she smiled with giddiness. _Today really is a new day. It will definitely be better than yesterday._ She was forced to suppress a shudder as last night's confrontation with Ichigo came to mind. She hated the friction her presence caused within the squad now.

"What's the problem, Ikuno?" Darling asked as they reached the bottom of the staircase.

"It's better if you see them for yourself."

"It's the S.T.A.R.R.S, isn't it?"

Ikuno nodded as she turned to lead them into the living room, Zorome breaking off and veering aside and into the adjoining dining room as he finished his task. Zero Tsu caught a quick glance of the room and was surprised by how empty it was. With the addition of Zorome, only two other parasites were present at the table. Miku and Kokoro sat side-by-side, chatting pleasantly as they ate. _Where are the others?_

Zero Tsu found a partial answer to that question as they finally arrived at their destination.

Four parasites were there in the living room to greet them. Four parasites that were not of Squad 13, at least, as evidenced by their strikingly different uniforms that set them aside from not only their fellow comrades-in-arms, but from their surroundings as well. Each one was dressed in a jet-black uniform, the style not deviating in respect to either gender. Both male and female wore a long-sleeve tunic of exquisite fabric that was tucked tightly into a set of trousers that were themselves bloused over a pair of sturdy-looking boots. The parasites and their uniforms looked professional, but also functional and austere, bereft of any ornamentation save for an APE logo upon their left shoulder and a single five-pointed star on their right, each point emblazoned with a letter that, when combined, spelled out _S.T.A.R.R._

Futoshi, entirely out of place amongst the new-arrivals, was the fifth parasite present and was currently engaged in an animated conversation with a tall, dark-haired boy that shared a striking resemblance to her own beloved darling. The boy must have had an eye on the entrance, for as soon as they arrived he was looking their way, affixing them with eyes that sparkled with the hue of an evening twilight. He smiled, and Zero Tsu suppressed her second shudder of the morning. _He looks so very much like my darling. The similarity is... uncanny._ The boy waved at them, inviting them over to join the conversation with Futoshi.

"Good morning, Hiro! I am sorry that I had to wake you so early, but I dearly wished to speak more with you." His apology sounded sincere to Zero Tsu's ears, but his appearance still unnerved her. "Futoshi here was kind enough to fill me in on the condition of your squad whilst I waited upon your arrival." His face took on a serious note of genuine concern as he laid a hand on her darling's shoulder. Her inhuman heart ticked with extreme jealousy for a beat before she forcefully reminded herself that darling was still holding _her_ hand."I am so sorry to hear of Mitsuru's poor condition. I wish him a full and speedy recovery."

Hiro's eyes darted to the hand upon his shoulder and his fingers clasped her hand just a bit tighter; though he did not look in any other way distressed. Still, it was a pleasant reaction. "Thanks, but you should be sharing such kind words with his partner. She would appreciate the gesture more than I."

"In time, then, I will be sure to offer my deepest condolences for her partner. Speaking of partners, is this the legendary Code 002?" The stamen's eyes swiveled to her and she felt like she was on display. That feeling was awful, and she only endured it peacefully because darling was there by her side.

"Actually, it's Zero Tsu." Her heart fluttered at her darling's words. _He is my prince through and through._

The stamen only smiled politely at this, as if it were something he had entirely anticipated. "Of course, of course. In that regard then, might I properly introduce myself to her? I am Sierra-Three-Three-Seven," he extended a hand out to her, clearly expecting her to shake it. She did so, her skin crawling as she made physical contact. "We met Franxx-to-Franxx before, but I always wished we could have met on more peaceful terms, wouldn't you agree?"

"Mhm." She nodded her head as they dropped the handshake. She had to suppress the urge to immediately wipe her hand on her skirt. _His hand felt... slimy? No, that's not it. Repulsive is more like it. There is something... wrong, with this parasite. I don't like his smell either. It's almost like he is... rotting. I cannot leave my darling alone with him._

"I'd like to officially extend my gratitude to you, for the part you played in the capture of that troublesome beast as well as coming back alive. Oh! And where are my manners? This," he turned, presenting to them the human female that stood silently by a short distance behind him, "is my partner, Sierra-Four-Two-Eight."

The pistil took a single step forward and she nodded curtly. Unlike her male companion, she made no move to extend her hand in order to make physical contact and thus saved Zero Tsu from another unwanted moment of physical contact. Instead, she remained slightly behind S337, staring at Zero Tsu with thinly-veiled hostility. Zero Tsu knew that look well, for many humans- both children and otherwise- looked at her in the very same manner. She ignored it, though, as she had learned to do so long ago, but it helped immensely that the girl was rather physically underwhelming.

S428 was short, far shorter than herself. And very slight of body, almost to the point of malnourishment with her rail-thin limbs and gaunt cheeks. Luminous blonde hair, perfectly trimmed and not a centimeter out of regulation, framed her skull in a bob-style haircut. Her appearance was so uninspired that she would have struggled to make any lasting impression. However, her eyes more than made up for her lackluster appearance in their remarkably complete absence of any emotion, the two grey orbs as bleak as a tundra. There was no warmth in those lifeless eyes, just the most austere, calculating gaze a human being could possibly muster. The pistil's unwavering gaze did something no other human had ever been able to do to Zero Tsu. S428 _unnerved_ her simply by looking at her.

 _I don't trust either of these parasites. We must keep an eye upon them._ She turned to gauge her darling's reactions, but her prince appeared ignorant of her worries, showing absolutely no trepidation towards the parasites whatsoever. _He trusts them?!_ And that realization truly unnerved her.

"So, S337, what brings you here? Last I heard, you and your team were out heading recon sorties."

The stamen nodded in confirmation. "That's partially correct, but, more than anything, it was simply luck of the draw that we are here. We have indeed been running sorties almost non-stop since the battle of the Gran Crevasse, but our latest foray saw Andromeda and Orion take some serious damage." He gestured to the other parasite pair that was with him, the two not yet introduced. "Plantation 13 was simply the closest plantation with an empty auxiliary hanger and the necessary industry required to fully repair a Franxx." He spread his hands and shrugged his shoulders. "And so, here we are."

Her darling nodded. "Here you are indeed. I'm just surprised they let you come visit. I assumed you would be confined to the hanger area."

"I am as surprised as you are, my friend. I believe that was their original intention for us, but once I found out which plantation we were docking with, I immediately requested freedom of movement to be authorized for my squad. You can imagine my own surprise when they actually authorized it."

"So, how long are you going to be wondering about our plantation?"

"Curious that. I haven't a clue. Probably a few days at the least, but I really have no clue how long it takes to fully repair a Franxx. It's more than an arm this time. They will have to completely rebuild a decent portion of Andromeda, so I can't imagine it will be a simple task."

"In our experience, Franxxs are usually repaired in several day's time. Are there more of you?" Darling jutted with his chin towards the other two parasites that had _still_ not been properly introduced.

"No," S337 shook his head, "not at the moment, at least. Aquila and Lupus are still able to run missions, but they will be here later tonight."

"They're coming here? Like, this house?"

Finally, the stamen seemed suddenly hesitant to continue."Yes, well, about that, I've been meaning to mention it, but we haven't officially been assigned rooms yet, or even an area to stay in, so I was wondering if we could possibly billet here? If that was okay with you, of course..."

"You... wish to stay here? With us?"

The boy nodded excitedly, his hesitation seemingly forgotten. "Yes! With you! I think it would be a great time for everyone. What do you say?" Another alarm went off in her head. _No, don't let them stay here, darling! They are not trustworthy._ But, as perfect as her darling was, he was no mind-reader, and so her concerns went unnoticed.

Her darling shrugged. "I don't mind in the least if you do. But it isn't really up to me alone to decide. I'll speak with the others on your behalf, but it will probably be fine with them. Well, most of them. We can put it to a vote." _I will be voting for 'no' on that one. I'm sorry, darling, but I cannot trust them, even if you do._

The boy was all smiles and words of gratitude. "That's wonderful news! Oh, we will have such a fun time together." Again, the boy's tone of voice unnerved her, particularly the way he said 'together', for it sounded far too much like he was taking her darling as his own. _I'm just being paranoid after last night's incident. I have nothing to worry about from this boy. He cannot harm my darling._

"Hiro, if you have the time now, then I'd love to speak with you on a few matters." S337 said politely enough, but it raised another red flag in her mind. _How many was that now?_ She looked to her darling, trying to discern his thoughts on the matter through facial expressions alone.

"I suppose I have the time. Come on, I'll show you around the area as we talk. There are a few things I would like to discuss with you as well." Darling's eyes flicked briefly to her's and she read the desire to speak with S337 in them. _He needs something from that boy. But, what_ _could it be_ _?_

"That is only fitting, Hiro. However, I have a... reservation, that I must first address."

Darling cocked an eyebrow. "Really? What is it?"

"Well, truthfully, I would like to speak with you... in _private._ " And then S337 glanced her way. "If that is okay with your partner, of course." He added quickly upon seeing her reaction to his request.

"Anything you say to me in private will be said to Zero Tsu later. I don't wish to keep any secrets from her- or anyone, really." _Awww_. Her heart melted at that statement and only the presence of the others saved him from a barrage of kisses.

S337 clenched his jaw, the expression nearly the exact same as the one her darling would wear at times. "Okay, that is most respectable of you, Hiro. But, what if what I was to tell you was a personal matter? Say, a confession to a friend? Would you stay true to our friendship and uphold privacy in the matter?" Zero Tsu noticed his partner glance at his backside, her empty eyes actually holding a moment of confusion in them as her brows furrowed. The expression went as quickly as it had come, replaced by her cold, distant stare.

Her darling nodded. "If you told me something personal and in confidence, yes, I would keep the matter private out of respect for our friendship."

"Thank you, Hiro." He gestured with his hand to the exit. "Shall we?"

Her darling turned to her. _Forgive me, but I have to do this._ His expression seemed to say, and she understood without him ever having to say a word. She gave him a nod as she released his hand, but there was nothing in the entire world that could stop her next action. She gripped his collar two-handed, hauling him forward just as she lunged, her lips pressing tightly against his in a passionate exchange of saliva. Once again did his taste flood her mouth, indescribably sweet and unfathomably delicious, sending her entire body into an over-stimulated state. Her eyes were closed as she finally pulled away, for her vision swam if she did not seal the sense away when she kissed her darling.

"Don't keep me waiting, _daaahhhliiiing_..." she smirked as she saw the face he made, his eyes wide and his entire body seemingly paralyzed by her touch. He blinked once, twice, thrice before he recovered enough to reply, his face flushing red from her daring display of affection. _Oh, darling, it seems I have embarrassed you in front of your new friends._ _I wouldn't have done it if you weren't so adorable when embarrassed…_

"I-I won't, Zero Tsu..." he nodded with a satisfied smile upon his face just before turning to leave, S337 awaiting him patiently by the doorway. The strange stamen offered no comment to what had just occurred, simply offering his unnervingly friendly, ever-present smile to them. It was almost as if her little show had amused him.

"We'll be back soon, this won't take long. S428, please, get along with our hosts while I'm gone." The boy winked in the direction of his pistil before pivoting smartly and leaving, side-by-side with her beloved darling. _Oh, her. I had almost forgotten..._

Zero Tsu turned to the remaining parasites, only to find S428 standing there, alone and glaring at her. As for the other two unnamed parasite pair, they had simply disappeared. This left her utterly alone with the unnerving pistil. _Fantastic._ _Well, maybe she isn't so bad. Appearances aside, she could actually be quite friendly. Maybe_ _,_ _she is just shy._ She took a deep breath and gave her friendliest smile. Before she could even speak though, S428 spoke up.

"Disgusting." It came as a statement, not as an accusation.

"What?"

"Your display of personal affection for Code 016. It was disgustingly primitive and served no better purpose than acting as a vector for disease or parasitical contamination." _Oh, for the love of... so, this was how it was going to be then: judgment and condemnation. This one is no better than that bossy Ichigo. Worse_ _!_ _A_ _t least Ichigo is my darling's friend…_

"His _name_ is Hiro, and he is my _darlin_ _g_. What he and I do is between us. If you don't like it, then you don't have to say anything." Zero Tsu planted her hands upon her hips as she made it clear that the pistil was a guest in their home.

S428 tilted her head, her hair falling to the side. "That is incorrect in every regard. _H_ _e_ is Code 016, and he doesn't belong to you. He belongs to Papa and Him alone- the same as you, _Code 002_. Or have you forgotten your place?"

"I know my place, little girl. My place is with my darling. And nowhere else."

S428 shook her head dejectedly. "You are clearly delusional. I see now that you have allowed your emotions to run unchecked for too long and have become compromised. You have wandered from your true place, the one dictated by Papa, and you have done it for a foolish, selfish reason- emotional indulgence. I pity you, Code 002, for you have lost Papa's trust and it will not be easily restored."

She clenched her jaw. She couldn't actually believe the girl's narrow-minded viewpoint. "I don't need your pity, and I certainly don't need Papa's 'trust'. I have my darling, and that's all I need in this world." She also had the future with him that she saw in her dreams, but she dared not share that with this girl. _She won't understand. And she doesn't deserve to either._

"You are wrong, of course, but that is a symptom of your delusional state. You need Papa, just as much as He needs you. Don't believe yourself independent simply because you found a partner that hasn't perished yet. Papa still has magnificent plans that require your involvement. You will comply, both of you, or else Papa will dispose of what cannot be used."

"Are you _threatening_ my darling? After we welcomed you and your partner with open arms, you _dar_ _e_ to threaten him in his own house right before my eyes?" Zero Tsu threw the accusation at the girl, bearing her fangs instinctively.

"No, I would not waste my time making idle threats. Besides, one cannot threaten a tool, and that is all any of us are, really." It took every ounce of Zero Tsu's willpower to not strike the girl for her insolence. Perhaps, if she had been her old self, she would have done so without regret, but she knew better now. So, she went a different route. Darling would've been proud of her 'alternative' response.

"You realize that you called _yourself_ a tool as well, right?" _I have you now._

"Of course." S428 actually smiled with her reply, and Zero Tsu shivered as those lips curled slightly upward. _What the hell is wrong with this girl?_ "I do not allow myself to become enslaved by obsolete emotions nor do I suffer delusions of self-important grandeur. I am a tool, yes, but I am an _efficient_ tool with a purpose. That purpose is to serve Papa, for if I continue to be faithful, then He will continue to be faithful to me."

"But, you're still a tool..." _How can she be so blind? I hate humans like this. So self-righteous. So ignorant of everyone else. They're more than likely to get someone around them killed. I can't believe I was once like this. Thank you, darling, for saving me from this fate._

"A tool that serves its master faithfully and efficiently is a tool that will always be taken care of. And I _am_ an efficient tool. My combat history proves it." Zero Tsu rolled her eyes. _She is brainwashed so thoroughly that she has no thoughts to call her own. She really is just a tool._ She had seen, over her years of interacting with various parasites, that this mindset was not uncommon for children to possess; though it was far more common in the younger parasites. Once they tasted the real world though, they usually snapped out of it, sobered by the harshness of reality. Watching your friends die before your very eyes had a tendency to do that to you. _All this one needs is a little push to bring her around though, nothing too dramatic. Hell, it might even make her tolerable as a person. Forgive me, darling, but I simply can't resist what I'm about to do._

"Is that so?" Zero Tsu wondered aloud as she rubbed her chin thoughtfully, seemingly caught in heavy thought; though this was all an act. She knew the perfect way to cripple the girl's attitude. Fingers snapped as she arrived at her epiphany. She smiled smugly as she pointed out the flaw of S428's claim of efficiency. "If you're so efficient, then how did your Franxx get damaged so badly that it took you out of the fight for a few days? That doesn't _sound_ like an efficient tool. In fact, it sounds just like something a _human_ might do..." _And so, the first crack appears._

"The damage fell well within acceptable parameters." S428 replied flatly, completely unphased by Zero Tsu's insinuation. _My, she is a stubborn one. Or, did she simply miss my point?_ "The simulations taught me that nothing ever goes exactly as planned during combat. I did my best to minimize damage to my Franxx whilst still completing the mission. That is all a tool can ever hope to achieve."

"Simulations? Wait a minute, is everything you know about combat from _simulations_?" Zero Tsu was shocked to say the least. _No way... there is no way a squad like this has so little real experience. Darling told me how good they were- hell, I saw them fight too. They couldn't have reached this age and only gone through simulations._

"No, of course not. I have also viewed many hours of recorded combat footage and been instructed by the best combat trainers and tacticians that APE has access to." Zero Tsu didn't know what to say. What _could_ she say? This girl had clearly been sheltered more than any parasite she had ever met before. She felt a momentary stab of pity for the child and she frowned. _How horribly limited her view is of this world. She is worse off than any parasite in Squad 13._ And with that realization, Zero Tsu could no longer find it within herself to dislike the girl, for the sad truth was that there really wasn't a girl _to_ dislike. This being before her _was_ just a tool for Papa, flesh and blood perhaps, and animated by a sentient mind, but by no means was this parasite a human being. _I don't think there is anything I can do to snap her out of this. But, I have to try. That's what humans do, right? Oh, darling, how much I have learned from you._

Zero Tsu took a deep breath before beginning. "You want some good advice from a professional parasite? I have some, and it just might save your life: training can only prepare you so much in this world. The reality is often far different than what anyone ever told you about. If I were you, I'd lean less on the training I received from someone who has never even _piloted_ a Franxx before and rely more on my partner. After all, in the heat of live-combat, when you're surrounded by enemies and out of options, it's really going to matter more on the trust you place within your partner, and the trust that they place in _you_ , rather than some obsolete lesson some dusty geezer taught you."

S428 only nodded at the advice. "That may be so, but at least I have piloted with my partner more than three times."

Zero Tsu narrowed her eyes as she sensed where the conversation was going. "What exactly are you implying?"

"Nothing. I merely wonder as to the number of stamen you had to go through before you found one worth keeping. Tell me, Code 002, just how many partners you had to burn through to find him?"

Zero Tsu clenched her jaw, the desire to violently choke the girl very close to overwhelming her sensibilities. _But, that would be wrong. I can't go back to that... that monster that I once was. I must restrain it. For my own good. For my darling. For the future... our future..._ She took a deep breath, forcing her violent urges down. For the moment, they were gone, but she knew they would always be there, tempting her to unleash the beast buried in herself. "Why do you ask that question in such a way? Actually, why is everything you have said meant to antagonize me? I've never done anything to you."

S428 only offered her a cruel smile. "Why? Is it not blatantly obvious? I apologize for not being more straightforward, but the answer is rather simple: I don't trust you. I don't trust you at all."

"So what? You barely even know me. You're not even part of my squad, and this is the first time we have even met face-to-face. What right do you have to insult my darling and I at every opportunity?"

"It's precisely _because_ I don't know you that I antagonize you. I do this so that I can gauge your reactions and formulate a contingency plan in the event of your inevitable betrayal."

Zero Tsu couldn't help but to snort. _That's it? How absurdly ridiculous._ "You think I'm a traitor? You think I'll turn against Papa and APE?"

"Of course. All signs lead to it occurring; your extreme emotional attachment to Code 016; your frightening willingness to disobey orders in favor of your own desires; and, of course, how could I forget your inhuman biology? You share an unholy fusion of hybridized blood with the very beasts that oppose Papa's will, after all. And, I am sure you know what is said about the thickness of blood versus water. The question now is no longer _if_ you will betray humanity, but _when_ you will."

"You know _nothing_ about me..."

"To the contrary, Code 002. I know _everything_ about you, perhaps even more than you know about yourself. When the time comes, I'll be there waiting- waiting, and ready to terminate the threat you pose towards Papa's grand plan."

Zero Tsu mulled over everything the girl had said. She had first mistrusted this parasite, then, she had hated her, and finally, she had pitied her. But now, she saw how wrong it was to feel _anything_ towards the pistil. She didn't even see S428 as a tool anymore, but as a _monster_ , for surely the girl was one. "We're done here." She turned away, letting the girl glare at her backside as she left the room. She did not hear the words that S428 uttered in the empty room.

"But Papa isn't done with _you_ , Code 002."

* * *

Futoshi joined the rest of his squad just as Hiro began his conversation with S337. He was relieved to finally be away from the unusually friendly parasite, and that went double for his stomach, which grumbled loudly for his attention. As he found a seat at the dining table across from his partner, Zorome not-too-gently prodded him with an elbow.

"Hey, what did you discuss with that kid? He tell you anything?" Zorome asked as he sawed a thin slice of ham in half before plucking it into his mouth.

"Not really. I think I told him more about us than anything. He was very... inquisitive."

"Awwww, maaan, I was hoping he told you something worth listening to. He really told you _nothing_?" His friend idly poked at a collection of scrambled eggs with a fork.

Futoshi stuffed his face with his own scrambled eggs before he spoke another word. He was starving, and breakfast could no longer wait. His stomach was eternally grateful for the attention, lapsing into silence within moments. "Well, he actually _did_ tell me something rather interesting. But, I don't know how true it is."

Zorome looked up, leaning in over the table as he peered at Futoshi. "Tell me!" He whispered rather fiercely. There was a desperate look in his friend's eyes, one that he did not like at all. He glanced at his partner Ikuno for a possible bailout, but she was conspicuously busy with spreading butter across a piece of toast; though there wasn't a doubt in his mind that she was paying just as much attention as Zorome.

"Well, it sounds kinda ridiculous, but he said they were from Cosmos..."

"What?! From _the_ Cosmos?! The orbital city that Papa himself lives in! _That_ Cosmos?"

Futoshi shrugged as he took a sip of orange juice. It was tangier than usual, almost bitter really, but it paired so well with the scrambled eggs and sliced ham that he didn't even care. "Well, I would assume it was _that_ Cosmos, but I don't know of any _other_ Cosmos, soooo..."

"Wow!" Zorome exclaimed, bewildered by the possibility of what the new parasites represented to him. He leaned back in his chair, breakfast forgotten and replaced by thoughts of what could happen in his future. "Did he say anything else? Did he mention Papa? Has he _met_ Papa? What's Cosmos even like? Did you ask him anything else? What is he doing here? Hell, what are _they_ doing here? Do you think..."

Futoshi came under fire from Zorome almost instantly, forcing him to endure a barrage of questions and endless inquiries. He weathered them all as he continued eating his breakfast. He was far too hungry to indulge Zorome's curiosity, even if he was his friend. Just when he thought he could endure it no longer, though, a voice interrupted the inquisition.

"Hey, pipsqueak! If you got so many questions for us, then why don't you ask us yourself?" Every eye turned towards the doorway, sighting in upon the lone figure that casually leaned against the doorframe. It took Futoshi a moment to realize that the figure was actually of the _opposite_ sex.

The new arrival pushed off the doorframe, drawing to her full, impressive height. Futoshi nearly dropped his fork. She was tall, most likely as tall if not _taller_ than even Goro. And her frame was bulky, her jet-black utility uniform straining to conceal the slabs of muscle that laid a solid foundation for a broad back as well as a protruding shelf of pectoral fortifications. As she moved, he saw that her legs and arms were wrapped in bands of corded muscle that the fabric of her uniform did little- if anything- to conceal. He had never seen such eccentric hair before either, dyed a bright-red and run through with yellow streaks, it had also been shaved clean on her starboard side whilst the port side hung down in an assortment of woven braids. She stepped around the table with surprising grace before seating herself directly by his side. She turned and smiled, and Futoshi felt cornered as she scooted her chair closer to his. Her ridiculous size loomed over him.

"My, oh my. What's your name, cutie?" She poked his belly, and he withdrew slightly, his face flushing crimson with embarrassment. So many things were wrong with his current predicament, far too much for him to process with his severely limited experience. "I, uhm, am F-Futoshi..." He couldn't stop from tripping over his own words.

She smiled at his fumbling, a devious glint shining in her eyes that he did not like the look of. It was almost _predatorial_. "Futoshi, eh? I like that name. It sounds... squishy... like something you might name a pet..." The girl locked him in her sights as she speared a slice of ham from his plate, consuming it without ever once looking away from his eyes. He looked quickly to his squadmates spread throughout the table, pleading with his eyes for someone- _anyone_ \- to help him out of his situation. Not one of them looked capable of doing so, either intimidated by the girl or simply indifferent to his plight. His partner was the sole exception there as she wore a look of concern for him upon her face, but unfortunately she was in no position to provide aid. None of them were, really. Salvation came from an unlikely source.

"Better than any name you have, S047." The girl in question turned her head to the entrance, finally releasing Futoshi from her gaze. Despite his better judgment, he followed her eyes.

There was another figure in the doorway; tall, lithe and standing straight as a pole. His hands were clasped behind his back in a proper fashion. Hair was combed straight and shared a color with freshly-tilled soil. An angular face and hawk-like nose were softened by his gentle, sky-blue eyes that appraised everyone before him without passing any sort harsh judgment. All except for one, that is.

S047 snorted as the boy approached the table, resting his slim fingers on the headrest of one of the high-backed chairs that sat between Ikuno and Miku. "I apologize for my partner's lack of manners. She suffers from extremely... _barbaric_ tendencies that make her often forget that she is a member of a _civilized_ species. Please, might _I_ take a seat at _your_ table?"

"Just take the bloody seat." S047 grunted.

"I wasn't asking _you_ , you mangy cur, I was asking a woman of _higher_ refinement." He turned his gaze to Ikuno, whom was seated adjacent to the chair he had perched himself upon.

"Sure, go ahead. The seat is all your's..." Ikuno said with a slight shrug.

The stamen sat down, nodding his thanks. "Thank you, ma'am. I apologize for my partner's manners- or rather, the lack thereof. Allow me to formerly introduce us. I am Sierra-One-Nine-Nine, stamen to Orion, and this 'pearl' of a woman is Sierra-Oh-Four-Seven, pistil to Orion and my highly eccentric partner to boot. You see, Forty-Seven? _That's_ how you make a _proper_ introduction- with skillful _tact_ and proper _manners_."

S047 rolled her eyes and groaned, her disgust as clear as the strength within her limbs. "By Papa, you are _insufferable_ , Ninety-Nine. I should've lit you on fire when I had the chance."

The stamen leaned over to Miku, covering his mouth with a hand and whispering in a conspiratorial tone; though his voice projected clearly throughout the room. "She already did that this morning. I'm quite used to it at this point."

"I'm talking about an _intentional_ incineration. That fiasco earlier doesn't count!" S047 replied as she speared another slice of meat from Futoshi's plate. The boy looked on, unwilling to stop her. He wasn't quite sure if he even _could_ stop the pistil.

"Orion's paintjob begs to differ..." S199 muttered once again into Miku's ear.

"That wash an axeshident, ange you know it!" The girl said as she chewed noisily through the meat, table manners be damned.

S199 nodded. "You're right, you're right, that's certainly what the report says at any rate." He turned toward Miku for a third time. "Just between you and I though, it was _completely_ her fault."

Miku responded instantly. "Wait a minute, _your_ partner damages your Franxx _too_! Wow, how familiar that sounds..." Miku said as she turned her gaze on Zorome, who had, until that point, remained well away from the conversation.

"Are you _ever_ gonna let that go? I told you it was the _only_ way to save us!"

"No! I won't let it go! You lost our arms!"

"I saved your butt!"

"I didn't _ask_ you to save my butt!"

The war between them quickly escalated, the usual battle between Zorome and Miku bolstered by reinforcements as the new parasites effortlessly joined in, adding to the inferno of accusations, witty comebacks, and oh-so-many insults. There was a clear distinction between both armies, each faction decided by the literal sides of the table. The unlikely alliance of Zorome and S047 claimed one side whilst S199 and Miku fell naturally into a confederation that claimed the opposing side. As with all wars, unfortunates were inevitably caught in the crossfire.

Futoshi, Ikuno and Kokoro found themselves as the innocent bystanders now. One by one, they finished what they could of their meal and then left, leaving as quietly and unobtrusively as possible, less they be drawn into the growing conflict. Within moments, only the warring parasites remained.

Kokoro stopped Ikuno by the exit to speak, her usually-timid voice raised in order to speak over the background argument. "Ikuno, I'm going to take care of the greenhouse. If anyone needs me..."

Ikuno nodded her understanding. "Go, I'll send a message if something happens."

"Thank you! Send Ichigo my regards!" The girl smiled and ran off, leaving Ikuno to ascend to the second floor alone. She quickly made her way to her own room, the clutter of the dining hall dying away with every step she took until, at last, she only heard the muffled curses. She came to a stop at her own door and opened it, a portion of her desperately hoping that her roommate had returned- only to be disappointed. Her bed was still empty and untouched. She let out a sigh.

"Where did you go, Ichigo?" Since the incident the night before, Ichigo had disappeared. Of course, she hadn't gone searching for her, for she understood that Ichigo wanted space and privacy, but she still worried immensely about her friend. _Goro should know where she is. Or, at least, where she might have gone._ With that in mind, she turned and headed straight for his room.

Ikuno didn't find Goro at his room. She did however, much to her surprise, stumble upon Futoshi. She caught her heavy-set partner just as he was leaving the room, closing the door behind him gently. Their eyes met and she called out to him. "Futoshi! Why are you here?"

He smiled. "Probably the same reason you are." He shook his head, frowning with disappointment. "He isn't here, though."

"Hmm." She rubbed her chin, thinking aloud. "Where could they have gone?"

"Wait. You said 'them', as in you don't know where… Ichigo is either..."

"That's... right. She didn't come back to the room last night. I thought that...," she chose her next words very carefully, "well, I didn't think much of anything. I just assumed she needed some space after everything we said to her."

Futoshi nodded, his face a mask of solemn respect, as if they had lost a comrade in battle and not merely had a disagreement with one. "Yeah, last night was hard for everyone involved. Could've been worse, though, I'm just glad Hiro managed to smooth things over with Zero Tsu. The last thing we need is to be divided- well, more so than we are now."

"You're certainly right about that, but we didn't manage that whole situation half as well as I would have liked. In the end, I don't think we did the right thing."

"What do you mean? We did everything we possibly could have done in order to make Ichigo see reason. She is just being... stubborn, and more so than usual. Don't get me wrong though, being stubborn has made her a _really_ good leader sometimes, but we both know that she is wrong about Zero Tsu. You said so yourself last night. We were right in doing what we could to make her see reason. Zero Tsu is our squadmate now, and Ichigo is going to have to accept that with the maturity of _our_ squad leader."

"Maybe... maybe you're right. Regardless, though, I still believe we handled the entire 'debate' rather tactless. We kinda ganged up on her and backed her up into a corner. I fear that we may have alienated her even more so than we ever did to Zero Tsu. Think about it. We are her teammates, and that means we should have had her back. Instead, we essentially _stabbed_ her in the back. She was _afraid_ last night. I'm sure she feels utterly _betrayed_ by all of us- and by _me_ most of all. I feel terrible for making her feel like that. I wish I could have done... something- anything- different in that situation in the hope that it would have ended differently."

Futoshi frowned and stepped forward, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "It's not your fault, Ikuno. You did what you thought was right, and I can respect that. It was a noble action and it was done with as delicate a touch as possible given the sensitive subject. It's half the reason I chose to back you up and intervene when I did. I wanted this gaping wound within our squad to finally be healed. I want Squad 13 to be a team once again. I want all of my friends back..."

Ikuno looked at the hand upon her shoulder, her eyes traveling up the limb and to its owner's eyes, his dark-brown irises reflecting her face in miniature. His touch had once disgusted her, for his gaze had been infamously lecherous when turned to a girl. But, looking into his eyes now, she saw a deep sadness within the boy's soul. It did not match his youthful, pudgy face at all. Nor did the painfully-sad smile that twisted his lips ever-so-slightly. "You've changed, Futoshi. Ever since the battle of the Gran Crevasse, you've changed."

His hand fell away and he shrugged, his face still wearing that same, sad smile. But, there was a glint of gentle humor in his eyes now. "Haven't we all? Before the battle, you barely even looked at me without gagging. Now? Well, I can clearly see that you still hate me, but at least it's not as obvious. That's definitely a positive change in my book."

Ikuno shook her head as she smiled just a little. Futoshi's humor at his own expense had actually been half-decent. "I never hated you, Futoshi. I simply didn't... empathize with you. Honestly, you were just..." She struggled to find the appropriate word.

"Stupid. The word you're looking for is 'stupid'."

"Well, no, I just meant-"

"It's fine, it's fine. I understand how foolish I was. I've been thinking a lot lately about how I used to act, and honestly, I'm a little ashamed. I feel like I put Kokoro into a position that she wasn't prepared for, and I feel awful for that. It was so self-centered and cowardly to force her into that situation. I wish I had never done it in the first place. But, I did. And just like punching Mitsuru in the face, now I have to live with it. The least I can do now is to learn from it. Maybe I'll end up as a better person for it one day."

Ikuno blinked a couple of times as she registered his words. They weren't the most elegant of words, but they came from Futoshi's mouth, which she had once considered as the most inelegant of places. "Futoshi... just... wow. You really have matured. More than I had thought possible." She winced slightly as she realized just how foolish _sh_ _e_ was being by saying something so... _immature._ "I'm sorry for that." He waved it aside, and she felt uncharacteristically relieved. "I guess I could learn a thing or two from you about self-realization. Can I ask what caused you to change though? What happened during the battle that was so outstanding from our other battles that this one spurred such a change in your way of thinking?"

Futoshi leaned against the wall, crossing his arms as he did so. "I don't think I could say for certain what caused it. A lot of things happened in that battle. Far too many factors to just narrow it down to a single element. I mean, you realize that was the first time that any of us has watched a parasite die? Or seen a Franxx destroyed? Or witnessed a Klaxosaur victory? To answer your question, I suppose all of that affected me. It... it kinda broke my worldview, you know? Shattered what I thought was unbreakable."

She nodded. Futoshi had hit it right on the mark. The battle had indeed been an introduction into many stressors that the children had never before imagined. And it _had_ changed everyone. It was obvious in some, like Ichigo and Zero Tsu, and less so in others, such as Futoshi and, to some extant, even Zorome had been affected. _Am I the only one who hasn't been touched? Or am I simply blind to the changes within myself?_ "Have I changed, Futoshi?" She asked, suddenly curious as to his opinion.

Futoshi's face swam with confusion for a moment before lapsing back into that grim smile. "Well, that depends."

"On what?"

"On your answer to my question..."

"What question?" She cocked an eyebrow as he lead her on. _What is he planning?_

He extended his hand, fingers straight and true. "Will you be my friend?" He asked with such innocence that Ikuno was momentarily caught off-guard.

"What does that have to do with anything?" She replied once she recovered.

"It has to do with _everything,_ Ikuno. Who, besides Ichigo, can be called your friend?"

"That's easy. It's..." she lapsed into silence pretty quickly as she drew a blank. She only knew a handful of other girls, and none were on the scale she knew Ichigo. _Oh no, have I isolated myself?_ "Isn't Zorome your friend already?"

"Yeah. One of them, at least. I'd say Hiro is another as well. Mitsuru too, whenever he decides to wake up that is. I'd say Kokoro qualifies also. And, hopefully, I get to count you as one too..."

"But, we're already partners..."

"So what? That doesn't mean we can't be friends as well. Actually, it means we _should_ be friends. Partners watch each other's backs all the time on the battlefield. But, friends watch each other's back _off_ the field too. That's why I decided to help you out last night. It's what _friends_ do for each other."

"I didn't ask for that, by the way."

Futoshi shrugged. "You didn't need to. That's what friends are for: helping, even when you think you're doing fine on your own. That's why you spoke to Ichigo last night, isn't it? You were worried for her, and so you did what a friend would do, and you helped her despite her inability to see that she needed it. Sure, she got a little distressed and went off on her own, but she'll come around eventually. You're her friend. She _won't_ abandon you. And neither will I..." He lifted his hand just enough to draw her attention back to it.

Ikuno sighed, letting out a breath she didn't know she had been holding. She reached out and clasped her partner's hand. "Alright. I accept. We can be friends."

"Good. Now, you understand that you're obligated to help me escape from that girl downstairs, right?"

Ikuno chuckled as she recalled the brute of a pistil that had made breakfast incredibly uncomfortable for all involved. "I suppose I have to now. That's what friends are for, right?" Something struck her as very odd. "Wait. Was this attempt to gain my friendship all an elaborate ploy to get one more body between you and her?"

Futoshi grinned and shrugged. "Maybe. Would you be mad if I said it was?"

"No, I can't blame you for that. Honestly, she kinda scares me too, so I don't know how much help I'll be, but I got your backside."

"That's all I ever asked for. Now, why don't we go find Ichigo together?"

She nodded. "Yeah, come on-" her personal communicator buzzed in her pocket. She retrieved it, eyes scanning the contents quickly, and then she replied to the sender. Futoshi looked on in silence, seeming to resort to patience.

"Sorry. That was... that was Nana. Apparently Ichigo turned her communicator off."

"What did she say? Did something happen?" Futoshi asked, but Ikuno was busying herself with composing a message of her own. Only when she was finished and the 'delivered' notification was flashing did she reply.

"Mitsuru just woke up."

* * *

It was quite the pleasant day in Mistletein, Hiro thought as he strolled down the steps and onto the well-traveled pathway. The sun was shining through the clouds, bright and cheery as birds chirped out their mating calls, the very air seeming to sing with their praises. And yet, for all the pleasantness, he felt a slight sense of trepidation, of something utterly and completely _wrong_ , but he could not quite place it. Perhaps, it was the distant columns of thick, inky-black smoke that rose beyond the borders of Cerasus itself. _There is a war out there, and here I am, taking a stroll kilometers from the front so that I can have a nice chat._

S337 pulled up alongside him, a gleeful smile on his face. The boy looked as if he were perfectly content with the world- not even remotely concerned about the not-too-distant war-front.

For a couple of minutes, the two boys simply walked side-by-side in total silence. Hiro thought about saying something to begin their conversation, but every time he glanced at his companion, the boy was obviously distracted. His head turned about erratically, constantly swiveling to a new angle as his eyes darted about, seemingly at random. This behavior confused Hiro until he finally remembered what the boy had told him. _S337 grew up on Cosmos... he has probably never even seen anything this natural before; the birds chirping; the wind blowing through the branches; even the grass is probably new to him. This might be his first time experiencing the natural world._

"S337, is this... is this the first time you've ever seen grass?"

S337 turned towards him, focusing on him with those violet irises. "What? No, no, no... not at all. I've seen grass before. We had an atrium aboard Cosmos. We weren't allowed to touch it, of course, but it _was_ there."

"Wait, what? You weren't allowed to _touch_ it?"

"That's right. It was there as a scientific sample, so they had to keep it preserved and safe. Touching it could have ruined it. We had a turf though!" He said quickly, as if a turf compensated for the lack of a natural environment.

"A turf isn't the same as real grass." Hiro shook his head, bewildered at how sheltered the child was. He knew so much, much more than Hiro could ever imagine, but he had experienced so very little in comparison. A kind thought popped into his head. "You can touch it now, if you want." And he gestured to the blades of verdant green.

The boy's eyes widened in surprise. "R-Really? You mean it?" He asked, as if Hiro had offered him his wildest dream as reality.

Hiro gestured one more to the grass. "Sure. I won't stop you. I doubt you'll damage it."

S337 turned and dropped to a squat. He slowly crept forward whilst crouching, shuffling his feet forwards until he was on the precipice of the path, as if he would fall off should he scoot just a bit further. He looked every bit a toddler as he extended a hand and hesitantly held it to the grass, pulling back just before he made contact. Hiro watched in fascination as the boy then slowly- oh-so-slowly- lowered his hand and _touched_ the blades, the entire display innocently dramatic.

The boy laughed as he ran his palm across the grass, the blades trickling his hand as he began to move with confidence now. Back and forth did he run his hand over the fluttering tips, a smile stretching ear-to-ear upon his face. He stopped, balled his fist up, and then planted his knuckles onto the ground before pushing into the soil. His hand came up, knuckles dirty and darkened, but it left an imprint of crushed grass and molded soil. "Wow. I never thought it would be so... so soft. I thought it would be irritating like the turf."

Hiro felt a stab of pity for the boy. S337 knew so much more about APE, Papa, and the entirety of the world than he had ever believed there to be, and yet, he was severely lacking so much _actual_ experience. He tried to imagine a life in which he didn't even know the feeling of grass against his skin, and it was a grim fantasy. It was a desolate existence, empty and without substance. _Would I trade all of my experiences for his knowledge?_ Hiro couldn't help but to wonder. _No, I would not. I would give nothing from my life to be like him._ And Hiro knew then that he had much to be thankful for.

"So, S337 you had a... confession, you wished to addressed?"

S337 stood up, his height equal to Hiro's own. Looking at him, he saw that there were so many physical similarities that they could have been brothers or even twins. "Oh, right, that." He toyed with his fingers, wringing them together and twisting them, an audible _pop_ sounding as a joint cracked. These motions spread the soil that had collected upon his knuckles to the rest of his hands, tainting them with soil. "It's... it's nothing, really, just a little request, actually, and feel free to say no! I'm just, just, uhm, worried you'd say no, but, if it's alright with you, then I'd like for you to, uhm, give me a... a name."

Hiro wasn't expecting _that_ at all. He had expected something far more... morbid, not a request to be named. He couldn't deny the feeling of relief that went through him though. "Is... is that all? I'm sorry, I'm not judging you, but why would you ever consider your request a confession?"

"Well, if I'm, uhm, being honest, that's only _hal_ _f_ of the confession..."

"And the other half?" Hiro asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Could you... could you keep it a secret as well? Like, tell no one about it? Not a soul. Not even my _partner_ can know about this." He seemed to press the point to Hiro with a desperation unsuited to the simplicity of the request. There was something in the boy's eyes that Hiro had never seen before. Something that now gave him pause.

"Why?" Hiro asked. "Why the sudden secrecy? Why hide something from your very own partner?"

"Because, Hiro, she wouldn't understand it. _None_ of them would understand this request. That's why I have to keep it a secret."

"So, if I were to give you a secret name, then what's the point? No one but you and I would even know it."

"Yes, but... I would at least _have_ a name, and that would mean the world to me. And... you, my friend, would know as well. That is enough for me. So, will you do as I have requested?"

Hiro shrugged. "Sure, I suppose I can, but you have to answer a single question for me: why me?"

"That's rather easy to answer. I know it was you, Hiro, that gave your squadmates their names. Despite being told otherwise, despite being so belligerently opposed to Papa, you still managed to remain steadfast in your belief that you were more than a number. I cannot help but to admire you, Hiro, and I do not lie when I say that receiving a name from you would be the highest of honors- to me, at least." The boy was so sincere in his reasoning; so genuine in his desire to have a name- to _prove_ that he was a _human_. It reminded Hiro of a certain woman in his life, and he decided in that instant the name of his friend.

"Okay, I have it. You will be..." for once, Hiro strayed from his established method of naming someone. He eschewed the numerical reliance, instead deciding upon a name based on his character traits. "You will be Shin'yu."

The boy smiled at this new designation. "Shin'yu... ah, I see..." he nodded. "Thank you, Hiro, for this name. It means... it means a lot to me. I will cherish it for as long as I live." Shin'yu then did something Hiro had not predicted. He stepped forward, raised his arms, and embraced him, hugging their bodies together.

Hiro's eyes went wide. Only Zero Tsu had ever displayed such a willingness to embrace him so enthusiastically. Or, at all, really. Physical contact from the adults was incredibly rare for a parasite to experience, and was generally reserved exclusively for medical examinations and procedures. It wasn't unheard of for parasites to offer each other such displays, but it was uncommon enough to be used only on special occasions. _But, I suppose this is a special occasion, at least for him. Perhaps, I should indulge him, just this once._ Slowly, he returned the hug, his arms stiffly reaching around the boy's torso and patting his back. _Oh, Zero Tsu, I hope you're having a less_ _embarrassing_ _time than I am._

Shin'yu finally broke the hug, and Hiro couldn't help but to smile as he saw the happiness in his friend's eyes. _Okay, that was really embarrassing, but he looks so happy. I guess it wasn't too bad..._ The stamen looked away, his face blushing brightly.

"I'm...I'm sorry, Hiro. I just got a little... emotional. That was very unprofessional of me. It's just... I haven't felt like I could express myself in so long. Cosmos is... it's stifling, at times."

Hiro sensed an opportunity at Shin'yu's justification for his extremely emotional response. "It's okay, Shin'yu, you shouldn't be afraid to express yourself- especially around friends. I'm just sorry you can't do it more often. Was Cosmos really that bad?"

Shin'yu nodded as he resumed walking down the path, Hiro a step ahead of him as they continued their journey through Mistletein. "I wouldn't call it _bad_ though, but it was... intense. We were held to incredibly high standards of discipline and performance."

"Why was that?"

"Our mentor always told us that Papa was going to rely upon us one day, and for that we had to be ready for anything. That was the only explanation for our intense training we were ever given. In the end though, I believe the intensity was justified. None of us now lack conviction."

"Do you ever wonder what Papa had in mind for you?"

Shin'yu shrugged his shoulders. "Sure, of course I wonder what our ultimate purpose could be. But, I am prepared for whatever it may be, no matter what the nature of it is. All of us were born to serve Papa and to that end we are prepared to give our lives if he but asks it. All of the S.T.A.R.R.S would, as any parasite would do as well."

Hiro blinked in shock. _He is right. It is in our purpose to serve Papa, and if need be, to even die for him and his cause, for it would be for the good of all humanity. That is what we swore to do, so very long ago._ That ideology had been enforced as he had matured, drilled into his psyche for years by instructors and any adult that oversaw his development. The obedience to Papa was complete and infallible- or so he had thought. But now, after witnessing such blind obedience in another parasite, he began to question his own commitment. _Would I actually give my life for Papa? For humanity? Papa gave me_ _purpose_ _\- gave all of us_ _purpose_ _\- but,_ _it was only ever his own purpose that we have served_ _. What if...what if I wish to serve my own purpose? Is that... possible? Is it possible for a parasite to exist without an obligation to serve anyone but themselves?_ And then, as he pondered these unsettling things, another disturbing question slithered its way into his mind. _Would I sacrifice Zero Tsu to accomplish Papa's goals?_ He didn't even have to think about the answer. He knew it within his heart.

 _I would never be willing to let her go. I couldn't. I simply couldn't. Without her... my life would be empty... hollow... meaningless_ _… just like before_ _._ Another thought, one far more traitorous than the last, slipped into his slowly-opening mind. _I would_ _sacrifice_ _Papa for her_ _,_ _though._ A little smile formed on his lips as the deliciously-rebellious thought turned over in his head. He tried to banish it, but that was easier said than done.

"Something amusing, my friend?". Shin'yu's voice broke through his silent introspection and he forced himself to return his attention to his companion; though the idea of turning against Papa in favor of his beloved Zero Tsu still lingered in the remote area of his mind. The very idea was appealing in that it would be a grand romantic gesture made on the behalf of his beloved. The sheer taboo of such an act made it all the more enticing as well.

"No, not at all, I was just... thinking about something that happened in my childhood. Speaking of that, how was your childhood? How was Cosmos growing up?" He quickly changed the subject, less his new friend discover his traitorous feelings.

Shin'yu shrugged. "For as long as I can remember, every day has been the same, more or less. We train. We eat. We train. We learn. We train. We sleep. Repeat. The same as any other parasite, I imagine. We're always surrounded by adults, though, and are kept under a strict guard at all times due to our classification of being an elite squad. Honestly, it's all quite boring." His face suddenly lit up. "Oh! I sincerely apologize! With all of the excitement about, I had forgotten about this." The stamen reached behind him and pulled out something that Hiro instantly recognized, but until that moment had managed to completely forget about. Shin'yu pulled it free and presented it to him.

Hiro stared at the object briefly before he took it by the handle. He turned it this way and that way, watching as the slivers of reflective glass showed him a fractured image. It was the hand mirror he had given to Zero Tsu. He looked to Shin'yu, a questioning look on his face. "Where did you get this?"

Shin'yu smiled. "My partner found it as we were disembarking after our first mission- the one in which _you_ rode with us. It certainly didn't belong to either of us, that's for sure, so the conclusion was rather obvious. You must've dropped it at some point during an aerial maneuver or something."

"Yeah," he agreed as he nodded, "something like that. Well, thank you anyways for returning it; though, technically speaking, it isn't _mine_."

"Whose is it then?" The boy asked as Hiro slotted the broken beauty tool into a pocket- a deeper one at that.

"It belongs to Zero Tsu. I'll make sure she knows that it was you that ultimately returned it."

Shin'yu waved it away. "Oh, please. You don't have to go through so much trouble just for me. Just take the credit yourself." He added in an exaggerated whisper. "It will be another little secret between us. Okay?"

Hiro smiled as he accepted that. "Okay, I'll do just that. But, seriously though, thank you for returning it. You didn't have to."

"Nonsense! I couldn't keep property rightly belonging to a friend- and certainly not from a friend that ensured my first mission was a total success. I owe you too much, Hiro, to do you wrong in such a way."

Hiro shook his head. "No, no, you don't owe me anything."

"To the contrary, my friend! I am deeply indebted to you, both for the mission's outcome as well as my given name. If you ever need something- _anything_ \- only ask it of me. In fact, I'd be offended if I never got a chance to repay you!"

Hiro thought for a moment. Normally, he wouldn't care to abuse such an overtly dramatic gesture. But, there was an opportunity here that he could exploit; though it unnerved him to do so. "Well, if that's the case, I have a request."

"Of course, of course. How might I repay you?"

"Tell me about your childhood."

Shin'yu looked perplexed, and rightfully so. "But, I already have. I already told you how boring it was and everything. There just isn't much more to tell."

"You're lying." Hiro stated, and he watched the boy react to his accusation. His muscles visibly stiffened and his face tightened, jaw clenching shut. He stood a bit straighter as well. _This is not the way I should be speaking to a friend. But... I must know the truth, even if it's an ugly one._

"I'm not lying, Hiro." He said stiffly.

"Perhaps not. But, you changed the subject awfully quick before. Why is that?"

"There wasn't more to say on the matter, that's all."

"No, that's not true. I remember your comment in the Gran Crevasse. You practically begged me to not intrude on your past. But now, you owe me an explanation as to _why_ you said what you said. You said it was difficult. Why? Why was your upbringing so difficult that you have to hide it?" They had been following the path through Mistletein's resident forest, but now they came to a halt and found themselves surrounded by trees on all sides. Shin'yu made a show of turning his head in every direction, ensuring the area was clear. The lake, boarding house and even the greenhouse were all some distance away though, and there truly was no one around to hear them.

"Okay, you win. I'll tell you. But, you must tell _nobody_ about this, alright? Not even Zero Tsu can know what I'm about to say. This isn't a confession between friends, this is a secret that none may ever know and you must take it with you to your grave. You'll be the only one outside of the other S.T.A.R.R.S members and some adults that know the truth. Swear to me that this will remain so." Shin'yu's intensity caught Hiro completely off-guard. It was almost... terrifying, to see his friend acting so serious. _What secret have I stumbled onto?_

"Okay, I won't tell a soul."

Shin'yu shook his head. "Not good enough. Swear to me that you won't tell anyone. Swear to me on... swear on Zero Tsu's life!" Hiro sighed deeply. _What choice do I have?_

"Okay then, you win. I swear on Zero Tsu's life that I won't tell another human being this truth. Now, what is it exactly that requires so much secrecy?"

Shin'yu nodded as he accepted the swearing of discretion. "There used to be more of us." He said.

"That's... that's it? After all that fuss, _that_ was the ultimate secret?" Hiro shook his head in disbelief. _So damn dramatic. He_ _really_ _had me going there for a bit._

"No, Hiro, you're not listening. There _used_ to be more of us."

"Right, I heard that part. What happened? Did they die off or something?" In retrospect, the words he chose to use were rather inconsiderate.

"Yes." Shin'yu said simply.

Hiro blinked as the morbid reality of the answer set in. "Oh, I'm... I'm sorry to hear that. But, I'm sorry to ask this, but how was that such a big secret?"

"Their deaths aren't a secret, Hiro, for their mortality has been recorded by APE. It's _how_ they died that is the cause of such secrecy and the truth is not known by any outsider save a very select few- and that includes you now, as well. But, to truly appreciate the gravity of our hidden sins, you must first understand our past and our origins. I'm sure you have noticed by now the numerical designations of parasite codes as well as their descending nature and how it correlates to their aptitude? Well, that system works well for your batch at Garden, but the S.T.A.R.R.S were rather different. There were one-thousand of us at the start of the program. One-thousand potential candidates for Franxx pilots- and all of us were of equal aptitude. We were divided into ten platoons of one-hundred parasites each. From there, we were further divided into ten squads. I was the seventh member of squad three, platoon three, hence the designation as S337, just as my partner, S428, was the eighth member of squad two of the fourth platoon." Hiro nodded, following the explanation and still not quite understanding where he was leading with all of it. "Obviously, there were too many parasites to become pilots. I mean, have you seen our squad now? Four Franxxs, which mean only eight children could be selected in the end." He held up eight fingers. "Four boys," he wiggled the four fingers upon his right hand, "and four girls," he wiggled the four fingers on his left hand.

 _Only eight... does that mean that... oh, no it couldn't... could it?_

"So, competition was stiff. The rule of strength was the ultimate decider in who stayed in the running and who... well, who _died_. The first few years were probably the worst. After all, that's when they were weeding out the weak. We didn't even have partners assigned yet. They just put us through hell. Most of them… they didn't make it."

"That's... oh, man, that's all so brutal." Hiro felt such sympathy for the boy. To grow up like... like _that_. To watch as those around you suffered and died... that was far worse than children simply disappearing.

Shin'yu shook his head. "No, that was all necessary. The ends justified the means. If they couldn't make it, then it wasn't meant to be. Their deaths are accurately recorded as the failures they were. What came near the end, the time that was _not_ recorded… that was the worst."

"What could possibly be more brutal than watching your comrades die before you?" Hiro could barely stomach the thought of watching one of his squad die. Goro, Mitsuru, Kokoro, Ichigo, Futoshi, Miku, Ikuno and even Zorome- he couldn't bare to watch one of them die.

Shin'yu's voice became cold. Distant. Emotionless. "Why, killing them yourself, of course."

"What... what do you mean?" _No, impossible. That's far too brutal, even for Papa. Papa would never authorize..._ He was reminded then of the plumes of smoke in the distance, the black pillars signaling that the battle for the Gran Crevasse was still ongoing and undecided. A battle in which hundreds of parasites had been sent to die without a second thought. Shin'yu continued his emotionless explanation, all the while woefully ignorant of the inner turmoil that now plagued Hiro.

"The final test was... decisive. It tested our wits, strength, strategical acumen and... our conviction. There were sixteen of us that took that final test. Eight teams of parasites... and only eight parasites survived…"

Hiro couldn't believe it. The awful truth was too terrible to even think about. "What... what you're saying is-"

"Yes, Hiro. I am a murderer. As are _all_ members of my squad. That is what Papa required of his S.T.A.R.R.S, and that is what we delivered to him. We are his tailor-made soldiers, bred to carry out any order Papa issues- no matter how brutal."

Hiro was horrified not only by the boy's admittance to committing murder, but was also abhorred by his casual approach to it. As if the taking of a human life was a simple affair- a mere challenge of _personal conviction_ and nothing more. "H-... How... could you...?"

"I did what I was born to do, Hiro. What we were _all_ born to do. I followed my orders. That's how I committed such an act. It wasn't a personal decision to take a life- no, it was an order. And, as a child of Papa, who was I to refuse such an order? If I hesitated back then, well, there would be another stamen standing before you now. That's all there is to it, Hiro."

Hiro couldn't believe what he was hearing. The feelings he had first experienced in the Gran Crevasse were entirely true. There _was_ something wrong with these parasites. He had been convinced that the feelings were false, lulled into a sense of camaraderie by Shin'yu's honesty and genuine show of friendship. But, he was wrong, so very wrong. The S.T.A.R.R.S hid a terrible truth. A truth that had been in plain sight his entire life, but only now was he able to actually recognize it for what it was.

The truth of their lives was that they _didn't_ matter to the one they served. Papa truly only saw them as numbers, bodies to be thrown into whatever meat-grinder he desired to turn his attention to. It was so obvious it was almost hilarious. Shin'yu interrupted his thoughts with his disturbingly-eerie ability to sense Hiro's unease.

"Are you well, Hiro? You've gone quite pale."

"I'm... I'm sorry, Shin'yu. I, I can't talk about this right now... it's too... too..." he couldn't finish the sentence, the emotions too strong, "it's me, not you." He said with some regret as he turned towards the way from whence they had come. "I just need some time to think about this." He retreated as quickly as he could, not even bothering to wait for a response.

Shin'yu was left alone, standing upon a darkened path in the forest as the feelings of abandonment came creeping back, his friend's expedited departure seeming to only compound the sense of guilt welling within him. A single tear escaped the corner of his eye, as for the second time in his short life, Shin'yu felt as if he had lost his only friend.

* * *

Goro awoke with a stiff neck and a sore rump. He desperately wanted to get up and stretch, and his body practically cried out for it, but he didn't dare disturb the sleeping Ichigo curled up next to him, her head resting gently upon his lap. It was a decent sight to wake up to: your beloved sleeping quite literally on your body, but it was another matter entirely as to how it had happened in the first place. A matter which disturbed him greatly.

He placed a hand on her head and caressed it with great care. _She looks so peaceful like this... not a worry in the world..._ His thoughts inevitably drifted back to how this unique situation had developed, and he dreaded the time when they would return to face the source of her distress. It would be difficult to do what was necessary, but he was under no illusions as to what needed to be done if they wished Squad 13 to be restored to working order: Ichigo had to face her fears, one way or the other, so that she could heal and be the leader they all needed once more. Goro was only confused as to what those fears _were_ exactly.

 _This 'mood' she is in can't just be about Zero Tsu. No, no it can't be so simple. It has to be bigger than that. Something else is affecting her. Something... something that I've never seen before. She mentioned screaming last night. What does that even mean though?_ He was willing to bet that whatever it meant was the key to helping her. Goro just couldn't figure out what that meant. He believed it might be a psychological ailment, but he knew of no way to be sure. He also had no idea as to how he would even go about helping her if he couldn't really identify the problem in the first place. _I feel so completely useless. She needs me, now more than ever before, and I can't think of a damn thing that might actually help her. I'm so useless. All I want is to help her get better, but... how do I even do that? Maybe... maybe Hiro would know of a way?_ But he seriously doubted that his oldest friend would even be able to help Ichigo- that is, if he were even _willing_ to help in the first place. Considering the disrespect she had shown to his partner, Goro couldn't blame him at all for turning his back on Ichigo. _But, that's not like Hiro at all. Then again, this isn't like Ichigo at all. Everyone seems to be acting_ _so_ _strange these days._ He sighed, no closer to solving any of Ichigo's problems than the night before.

Goro looked down at the medal upon his own neck, the twin of which sat several meters deep within the lake. _Well, at least I won't be needing this anymore_. He reached up and tore it off, only placing it within his pocket as an afterthought. Technically, it _was_ a part of his uniform, but he would be damned if Ichigo got in trouble for not wearing it around her neck whilst it still hung about his. _No, we're in on this together. Whatever this is..._

He felt Ichigo stir on his lap, his movements seeming to have awoken her unintentionally. He felt guilty about that, but the sun had already risen some time ago. They couldn't remain sleeping in the forest forever. "Good morning, Ichigo." He greeted her softly.

Ichigo propped herself up on one hand, looking about groggily before her eyes settled upon him. She blinked several times to clear the early-morning blurriness. "Goro..." she muttered warily.

"Sleep well?" He asked.

Ichigo shook her head silently before withdrawing fully from his body. _And there goes my warmth._ She brought her legs in close and wrapped her arms about her knees, hugging them tightly to her chest. She did not respond to his inquiry, choosing instead to sulk and remain silent. Goro sighed internally as he pushed on, treading into dangerous territory. He knew it too, but he had no choice in the matter. He couldn't just leave her as she was. "Was it... was it the screaming?"

Ichigo nodded faintly and Goro grimaced. _How can I stop something within her mind?_ "In your mind... who is screaming?"

He watched as her eyes tightened and she seemed to shrink into her uniform. She still refused to meet his gaze. He couldn't blame her. What they were addressing wasn't going to be easy- for either of them. He reached out, placing a hand gently upon her shoulder in a reassuring manner. "Ichigo, you can talk to me... please."

Her eyes flicked towards him for a moment and he saw the pain curdling within her. His partner was tearing herself apart from the inside. She looked away quickly and he lost any chance of deeper insight. He tried again to garner a response. "Ichigo, please. I'm your partner. I'm here for _you..._ " If he was being honest, he wasn't expecting a response so soon.

"Goro..." she muttered without even looking, "I... I can't..."

"What do you mean? Why not?" He jumped on the chance to speak with her. Anything was better than her being so utterly silent. She mumbled something again, so quiet now that he didn't hear it. He leaned in a bit closer, but not _too_ close less he terrify her any further. "Ichigo, I'm here for you... please." He practically begged her to speak with him.

"I... I don't know _how_ to talk, Goro..." Her voice was faint, distant, just like how she had begun their conversation the previous night. His worry for her increased tenfold.

"That's okay, Ichigo. Just... just talk with me, and I'll listen. It doesn't even have to be about anything, just as long as you're speaking..."

"I... I... don't know... where to... to begin..." Her words were punctured with light sobs as she began to collapse upon herself. He backed off immediately as he realized that by pressing her too hard he might actually push her away. That was unacceptable. He had to _save her,_ not alienate her.

"It's okay, Ichigo, it's okay. I won't force you through anything. I know that something simple like talking can be... difficult, if it's rushed. I understand if you don't want to talk just yet." He rearranged his legs until he was in a high-knee by her side. He laid a caring hand on her shoulder and she peered up at him, eyes showing the first signs of tears. Goro offered her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "I'll always be by your side if you want to talk, just reach out to me when you need to." He stood to his full height and offered her his hand. She stared at it for another moment, sniffling as she brought herself under control. "We should go back soon. I'm sure the others are worried sick." He said as gently as possible. His hand went untouched though.

"The others..." Ichigo muttered quietly. "The others... they hate me now... I can't face them..." her gaze sunk as she turned from him.

"No, you're wrong. They look to you as their leader, Ichigo. They respect you and... you're their friend. That will never change."

She snorted at his words, her eyes still a little red from the close threat of tears. "I doubt that. I slapped Zero Tsu... Hiro probably hates me for that... can't blame him... alienated Ikuno... insulted them _all_... how could any of them possibly respect me after all that? How could they ever see me as their leader again, much less their friend after I treated them so terribly?"

He slipped his hand into his pocket, finally conceding that she would never take it. "How could they ever hate the person that has lead them through dozens of battles without fault? You got them out of the Gran Crevasse safely. We all owe you our lives for that- even me. And that's not something we will ever forget about either. But, what you did last night?" He waved it off. "That was just a mistake, Ichigo. I'm sure if you just apologize, then everything will be okay."

"It can't be _that_ easy, Goro. Nothing is so simple."

"You're right about that. It _won't_ be easy to admit you were in the wrong, it never is, but what other choice do you have? You can't avoid Zero Tsu for the rest of your life."

"I can definitely do _that_..." she muttered darkly and a grim smile creaked his face.

"Maybe. If you play it right, I'm sure you could. But, that would mean abandoning Hiro. You know those two will never be more than a klick away from each other ever again." There was no point in lying about Zero Tsu's and Hiro's advanced relationship and what it meant for Ichigo. He would have an easier time convincing her that the sun was a light bulb.

"Then maybe it's for the best..." she said sharply. He tilted his head as he looked down at her. Ichigo's stubbornness was legendary, but this was excessive. Overboard, even. But, so much had changed that he no longer knew what the normal state was. At least she was slowly returning to her more candid self. He was thankful she was coming back from the brink- whatever the brink _was._

"I'm not sure Hiro sees it that way. You're his squad leader and friend. The latter well above the former. Could you really hurt him like that?"

"I already hurt him..." Ichigo's head sunk down, her chin wedging itself tightly between her knees once more

"Probably a little, yeah." He conceded that much. "But, you have a shot at healing that wound. If you ignore it, then it will only worsen and could one day even jeopardize your friendship with Hiro completely." He bent at the knees as he squatted by her. "I understand the feelings you have for Hiro are... complicated to express. But throwing him away completely as a friend because you think you don't deserve him at all- is that _really_ what you want?" He watched as her eyes turned towards him. There was pain in there- but reason warred with it. Reason, and a desire to care for those she loved most in the world. She was conflicted, but his words were getting to her. The real Ichigo was still in there, fighting to escape the grim creature she had become.

"No..." she admitted, and he saw just how much that took for her to open up. It wasn't much, but it was all he needed to know for now. She _wasn't_ willing to abandon her friends. He could work with that.

"Then, you know what you have to do, don't you?" He stared into her eyes, watching the clash within.

"C-Can you... can you help me, Goro?" And there it was. A request for help. A signal that his beloved Ichigo was still in there. And now, he was useful to her once again.

"Always, Ichigo." He stood up and presented his hand once again. "Come on. We will do this together."

This time, Ichigo reached out and clasped her partner's hand.

* * *

Kokoro had never run faster in her entire life. Then again, she didn't run that often to begin with, but today was certainly an exceptional occasion.

Mitsuru had returned to her.

She had received the message whilst she had attended to the greenhouse. She had been watering the hibiscus, humming idly as she did so when her communicator had buzzed in her pocket. She had almost lazily retrieved it, fully expecting that it was Ikuno informing her that Ichigo had been found. She was only half right in that it _was_ Ikuno.

The hibiscus had been forgotten in that moment as Kokoro had sped off, sprinting until she had reached the first lift that would take her down to the appropriate level. She fidgeted throughout the entirety of the descent, slightly annoyed that the machine moved so slow. But, it had served its function as the doors finally opened wide, allowing her to enter the hospital proper.

She was the first to reach his room, practically breaching the door and storming in- only to find the room mysteriously empty. She looked about the room in disbelief, as if there was a possibility he was hiding in some far-flung corner- as absurd as that notion was, she felt it the only plausible explanation for his disappearance. She moved deeper into the room, approaching the bed that had for so long been Mitsuru's resting place.

The bed itself was recently used. The sheets were tossed aside and there was even a great depression where someone- Mitsuru no doubt- had lain for many hours on end. And yet, there was no sign of her partner. _Where has Mitsuru gone?_

The door to the room slid open, the hiss of the mechanics causing her to whirl around on the spot, seeking the person who had entered- she dashed forward, throwing her arms around him before he could leave her once again.

Mitsuru gasped aloud as Kokoro very nearly tackled him to the ground, only the presence of the doorframe behind him saving them from a serious tumble. He felt her arms wrap around his torso in a vice-like grip that succeeded in expelling what little oxygen remained in his lungs. "Kokoro-!" He barely managed to wheeze out her name, but this was an accident on his part, for his voice seemed to infuse her limbs with unholy strength. Impossibly, her arms tightened, and he swore he could hear his ribs cracking under the immense pressure. "Ko... ko... ro..."

Kokoro finally eased up; though she still clung tightly to him, as if he would be whisked away any minute by some unforeseen force. She looked up at him, her chin wedged firmly in the center of his chest. Red-rimmed eyes already overflowed with tears as she stared up at him. "Kokoro... what... what happened?" Had he missed something?

"Mitsuru... my Mitsuru... you're back. You came back to me." She buried her face into his chest, whispering again. "Thank you..."

Unsure of what exactly had transpired in his temporary absence, Mitsuru handled the situation as best as he could. He returned her hug, albeit awkwardly at first, but as his arms wrapped around her soft, comforting body, he felt... _something_ that he could not explain accurately. It was like an extreme tightening in his chest, and it increased his pulse tenfold, the staccato rhythm of his heart seeming to sharpen his senses. He became acutely aware of every single detail of Kokoro, from the slight shaking of her fragile form to the fine scent of freshly-bloomed flowers that clung to her in a pleasant aroma. He thought about staying just like that for the rest of the day, cradling his partner in his arms for every single moment. But, he remembered what Nana had told him as he had woken.

 _Almost two weeks. I was gone for almost two weeks. How much have I missed? Clearly, I missed something._

Mitsuru indulged Kokoro for a few more precious moments and then he began to gently push her away. It took a moment, for his limbs had atrophied through a lack of use and she was actually _stronger_ than he was- at least, for the time being. Eventually though, he succeeded in creating a gap between them, and he surprised himself at how _awkward_ that new distance made him feel.

Kokoro sniffled a little as she looked up at him. Her lips were torn between a smile and a frown, as if she couldn't decide which to wear. Much to his unexpected elation, the smile won out and even jumped to his face. Once again, he got that feeling to just keep her like that all day, smiling and joyful as ever as she simply gazed at him for hours, but he was reminded of what he had been told. _I have a lot of catching up to do..._

"Kokoro... what happened? The Klaxosaur? Did we capture it? Did anyone... everyone made it, right?"

She nodded hurriedly. "Y-Yeah, everyone made it. Everyone is in good health. All-," she placed a hand upon his heart and sighed, as if she thought she would never again feel his heartbeat, "- except you, that is. You were the one most injured. The one we had to worry most about... the one I almost lost..." He watched as she let out a sob, the sound slipping past her defenses. He laid his palm to the side of her cheek, tilting her face to his.

"Hey, hey, hey, it's fine. _I'm_ fine. I'm here now. You shouldn't worry so much."

Kokoro rubbed her eyes with her sleeves as a new wave of tears flooded out. "I know... I know... it's just... just, I thought I lost you... two weeks, Mitsuru. You were silent for two weeks. Two. _Weeks._ "

"Yeah," he said as he reached up, dabbing at her face with the cuffs of his hospital gown, "but it wasn't by choice. I'd never leave my partner alone like that."

Kokoro sniffed as her tears finally came to an end, like a curtain-call to end the whole dramatic scene. "Promise?"

"I promise. I'll always be here for you, Kokoro." He watched as she smiled, and the light it brought to his life was worth the two weeks of darkness. "So, the Klaxosaur, did we ever capture it?"

"Yes, and... no. It's in custody, but it wasn't us who captured it."

 _That_ detail certainly caught his attention. Who else could have hoped to capture it? He asked her exactly that.

"Some new squad. They came from the sky after we were out of the fight. They pursued the Praetorian-"

"The what?" He was forced to interrupt her due to his ignorance.

"Oh, right. The Klaxosaur was designated as the first 'Praetorian' class. It was captured thanks to the unexpected reinforcements and Strelizia coming online."

"Hold up. Strelizia is _back_? Like, Hiro and Zero Tsu partnered up again?" _Oh, man._ He had missed a lot. Last he was aware, Zero Tsu had been ostracized by his entire squad. Even Hiro had scolded her for her actions. And now, she was seemingly accepted. _How quickly things change._

"Oh, yes! About that, Zero Tsu is officially part of our squad now!" Kokoro smiled as she explained.

"Really?" That had caught him off guard. He didn't really mind Zero Tsu in the least- as a person-, and he no longer feared her; so long as he didn't have to _pilot_ with her, that is. "What... what the hell happened in that battle?"

She lead him back to his bed and urged him to take a seat. She pulled up a metal chair beside the bed and sat facing him. "This... might take a few minutes..."

Kokoro then told him everything that had transpired in his absence: from Ichigo's rallying action to save every parasite she could, to the desperate battle beneath the Gran Crevasse in which Hiro and Zero Tsu had reunited and beaten the Praetorian into submission. It was around that time that Ikuno and Futoshi arrived together. They nodded and waved respectively as they stood to the side, waiting patiently as Kokoro continued into events that had happened _after_ the battle: Ichigo's award ceremony, the argument at dinner the night before, and even the arrival of the S.T.A.R.R.S that same morning- all leading up to the moment that he had awoken. By the end of the recap, Kokoro was out of breath and Mitsuru was left speechless. When he finally did recover, he didn't comment at all upon anything that she had told him. Only one thing had truly mattered in his absence.

"And, how are your flowers?" Mitsuru asked with a smile. He watched as she smiled too, and he knew that he had asked the _right_ question.

"They're beautiful, Mitsuru. Oh, the colors! The Marjorams are as lush as always; the Orchids are in full bloom; the Hibiscus is freshly watered; although, my Cosmos has wilted for some reason... but the rest are all quite vibrant. I'll show them all to you myself later, once you get discharged from the hospital- that is, if you still want to see them..."

"Sure. I'd like that, Kokoro. I'd like it very much." They continued to smile at each other, blissfully unaware of Futoshi as he leaned over and nudged Ikuno in the arm.

"They're adorable, aren't they?" He whispered.

"Agreed. But, are you sure you're okay with... _this_?" She jutted her chin to the couple. Her partner nodded.

"Yeah... yeah, I am. Truth be told, I'm even happy for them, because in the end, it looks like _they_ are happy."

Ikuno took a long look at her new friend. She wasn't even sure the parasite beside her _was_ Futoshi anymore. "You really have matured, haven't you?"

"I suppose so. In fact, I _should_ take this moment to apologize for my earlier mistakes, but…" his gaze turned to the recently reunited couple as they enjoyed each other's company, "I am unwilling to interrupt their reunion. I feel like that would be a far worse insult than my earlier mistakes."

Ikuno nodded as she accepted that explanation. "I agree, interrupting them now would be… well, that would just be cruel. You should wait for the right moment to apologize. It shows that you considered his thoughts as well." By that time, they had drifted closer towards the bed; though they maintained a respectful breathing distance from Mitsuru.

"His? I was gonna apologize to _both_ of them- preferably at the same time, but I suppose it can all wait." He whispered back and smiled as he looked fondly at the couple. They were so adorable together, so utterly perfect side-by-side, that no one could deny that they belonged together as partners. Futoshi couldn't stop _his_ heart from aching though, for he once believed that _he_ had shared that bond with her. But, that was life, he supposed. _So long as she is happy… then I am happy as well._ Of course, he wasn't the _only_ one that thought they went well together.

"Aww, you guys are just so adorable." Squad 13 turned as one to see just who had intruded upon the reunion. Futoshi seemed to shrink into himself as the doorway was filled by the unmistakable bulk of _her_.

"Oh, no..." Futoshi whispered as she entered the room. The pistil let out a long whistle as she made her way through the chamber, meandering towards the hospital bed.

"Daaaamn, look at _this_ place! So much room! That ceiling must be, what, ten meters high? Y'all sure know how to live down here on the mother-world." She came to a stop as she reached the bed, taking a stance right next to Futoshi. Her gaze immediately affixed itself to him and she leered, watching as he squirmed uncomfortably in her sights. Out of nowhere, Ikuno stepped between them; though she was a full head shorter than the S.T.A.R.R.S member, Ikuno gave no sign of being intimidated by the pistil. She glanced behind her and nodded to Futoshi before addressing the brute.

"What are you here for?"

"Woah, woah, woah! Why do you have to say it like _that_? I thought my squad was welcomed in your home?" She wore a pained look on her angular face.

"This isn't our home. It's a facility currently housing our wounded comrade. You shouldn't be here unless you have official business."

S047 clicked her tongue, annoyed. "Who says I'm _not_ here on official business? Also, this is an _APE_ facility, and I'm authorized for it anyways, so cool your thrusters."

"If you are here on official business, then might I ask the nature of it?" Ikuno asked as she crossed her arms.

S047 clenched her jaw before relaxing and letting out an amused grunt. "You're more stubborn than I ever imagined. I like you, Ikuno. But, listen, I'm honestly only here as a courtesy. He," she jutted her chin at Mitsuru, "has been officially discharged. He needs to go. _Now._ "

"What?!" Kokoro stood up in surprise. "But he _just_ woke up! How can you force him out already?"

S047 shook her head. "Don't shoot the messenger here, kid. This is coming from higher up. We got another wounded parasite on the way and this room has been slated for him. Simple as that."

"But, how can the adults be so thoughtless? Is there not another room that can be used? This is a hospital, it _must_ have more rooms available."

"No can do. All the others are already in use. You do realize that this plantation is being used as an evacuation point for every single injured parasite in the field, right? There is like," she counted off on her fingers, "six to a room already! This kid here must be something special if he gets all of this space to himself."

The children of Squad 13 looked at each other, all of them wearing the same expression upon there faces. No one had told them _anything_ about other parasites being present, much less housed directly beneath them. And neither had they even _seen_ other parasites about. The same question rolled through all of their minds:

 _Why had they been kept in the dark?_

"So, are you going to get rid of this weakling or not?"

"He's not weak!" Kokoro replied defensively.

S047 snorted derisively. "Could have fooled me. But, he isn't my squad so I couldn't care less about what you think of him; however, he does need to still move."

"But, that's so-" Kokoro began to protest, but a gentle hand upon her arm brought her to a halt.

"It's fine, Kokoro. I can walk, so there's no reason to stay. Let's all just leave so that no conflict arises. You know how I hate to be involved in anything like that." Mitsuru said as he looked up at her. For a moment, Kokoro looked as if she would protest, her mouth opening and closing quickly as she fumbled for a response. Eventually, she just settled for a nod.

"Okay, come on. There are enough of us here to help if you need it." Kokoro said as she helped Mitsuru out of the bed. He wobbled for a moment, but then his muscle memory reasserted itself and he stood tall and without assistance. The stamen calmly walked out of the room with his partner hovering close to his side and his friends at his back.

"Hey, cutie." S047 called out to their backs, and there was only one amongst them she could have meant. Futoshi turned.

"What do you want?" He asked bluntly.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry about all of this. I'm just following orders here, but even I can see that this whole thing is a load of Klaxo-shit."

Futoshi shook his head as he left, casually murmuring under his breath. "I'm sure you are." The door hissed closed behind them, leaving the girl alone in the now-vacant room.

S047 flicked open her communicator and sent a message to the squad leader that had tasked her with such a distasteful duty, informing her that the room was ready for the incoming stamen of Lupus. It would need to be cleansed and searched thoroughly by an APE security team before it held the boy, but that would be done within the hour. She sighed as her thoughts momentarily returned to the children of Squad 13. "Those poor, ignorant kids. If only they knew how easy they have it down here."

* * *

The doctor idly drummed his fingers upon the contoured head of his cane- a habit he had developed to ease his tension as much as it helped to tie his focus to the moment. His mind still wandered though, his thoughts slipping back to the age that had come long, long before, back when he still had both of his hands. He shook his head to clear it, refocusing on the here and now rather than the past. There would be time later to discuss the old days.

"Status?" He inquired, confident that one of the various technicians that swarmed about him like bees would intercept his question. One did.

"We're in position now, sir. The equipment has passed through the initial diagnostics phases without error. We can begin as soon as the hour ends: perfectly in-line with the original schedule."

 _We're right on time then. Imagine that._ _"_ The governor has been notified of the incoming blackout?"

"Yes, sir."

"And he has compensated properly for the facilities that must have uninterrupted power?"

"He has, sir. Auxiliary magma-reactors have been brought online and are ready to take over should the primary reactors fail."

 _Excellent. All is within readiness._ Dr. Franxx checked his antique watch, the blocky numbers slowly ticking towards nineteen-hundred hours. All he had to do was wait out the final few minutes.

"Werner, old friend. How did you sleep? Well, I hope." He turned to the voice, already fully aware of who approached from his rear.

The speaking figure drifted effortlessly through the crowd of busy technicians and engineers. They seemed to carefully avoid the man, his ornate robes distinguishing him from the surrounding plebeians as one far above their station, and not once did the sage have to step aside or lengthen his journey. In fact, most of the command center's occupants completely avoided even looking at him, less they draw his undivided attention.

"I slept. Whether or not it was a decent rest is irrelevant."

"Ah, I suppose that's better than nothing. So, how goes the final preparations?" Dr. Franxx turned to look out over the testing area, the sage settling in adjacent to him and taking the view in as well.

"Everything is going well, believe it or not. Within the next few minutes here, we will have our answer- or, we will have nothing but another failure. Speaking of which, how did your talk with _him_ go?"

"I got you three day's worth of time. Be sure to make wise use of it, my friend, for Papa is growing evermore impatient. We _need_ results and we need them _now_."

He grunted dismissively. "His words?"

"Who else could be so arrogant as to rush the scientific process?" Werner and the sage shared a small chuckle at the comment. The sage by his side wasn't nearly as intolerable as the rest of them. In fact, he might have even _liked_ him- in his own, belligerent fashion. Sometimes. In the right conditions. And the presence of alcohol would probably help. Or some hallucinogens. But definitely not when he was sober. Probably.

"I suppose I should thank you for the time you bought me, but you really shouldn't have gotten so much. After all, if this doesn't work, then the next step is dissection with a magma-drill, and any old fart could do that just as easily as I could. Hell, might as well do it yourself if it comes down to it. Might be an interesting change of pace for one of your 'dull' responsibilities."

"Mmm. I might have to. For old time's sake, of course. Unfortunately, though, I'll be returning to Cosmos sooner, rather than later."

"Ah, that is rather unfortunate. You should extend your stay upon the ground. It will be good for you. You might even repair that muscle degradation if you stay long enough." Werner swept out his cane, striking the end of the thing upon the sage's shin. A sharp, metallic clang sounded from the impact and Werner couldn't stop from shaking his head in disappointment. He had replaced numerous areas of his own body with mechanical augmentations over the decades, but those had been to correct organic shortfalls. The sages simply added augmentations for ease of convenience- or even to indulge in ridiculous style choices.

The sage sighed, ignoring the doctor's prodding and resulting look of fatherly disapproval. "Believe me, I would if I could, but Papa demands me to attend to my duties once more. Apparently, there are mutterings of unrest within North America."

"Is that so? And, what exactly does Papa plan to do about these 'mutterings'? Nothing too extreme, I hope…"

The sage sighed again. "I don't know for sure. I'm probably going to be sent to merely observe and report, as I am so often tasked to do. As for the parasites over there, well, a little deviancy from the established norm has always been allowed. It was necessary given how consistently they're on a war-footing over there." They both lapsed into silence, standing still as the rest of the command center seemed to move around them- two points of calm in a sea of bustling techs. There was little more to be said between them, for little had actually happened that was worthy of talk in the last few decades. There was, of course, a reason for such dullness.

Humanity itself had become dull.

Sure, there were benefits to this. Humanity no longer knew war against itself. It no longer knew famine. It no longer knew plague. It no longer knew genocide or even true civil unrest. APE had brought such an age to humanity, an age of peaceful coexistence and endless prosperity, a true earthly-Eden for all of mankind to enjoy- but, it had all come at an extreme cost to what he called the soul of humanity. His species no longer knew art nor creativity, for it no longer sought out inspiration. It no longer knew, nor even cared for, the siring of new music, preferring to rely on notes of extreme antiquity. No longer was the beauty of a once-untapped natural world known to mankind. It no longer even knew _love_ , for the adults had no need for such obsolete remnants of evolution. Humanity had lost something precious with its new age of relative security, something that could not easily be categorized. Dr. Franxx worried that they had lost their very identity, their very _soul_ , and now... now all that was left was a hollow shell of what had once been.

Humanity hadn't changed over night, of course. The shift in culture had been gradual, spread across decades as complacency had steeped into their society with all the inevitability of death itself. Stagnancy came soon after. With all of their demands met, with no need to struggle and advance their station, those who had partaken of the elixir of eternal life had little to fear. And, with little to fear, they had no real motivation to act. No desire that had not already been fulfilled. Human cultural achievements had come to a near standstill as scientific innovation ceased and artistic creativity died out. After all, why should they seek out beauty when they knew it to be fleeting? Why would they indulge curiosity when they knew such things to be irrelevant to their new lives? Why should they seek self-improvement when they had already reached the apex of evolution? And so, the humanity that had once been known as unstoppable and insatiable became overindulged and slothful. Where once the fires of ambition had ignited the hearts of entire nations, now only a void remained, forever empty and cold. Their once-rich culture only a distant, faded memory that slipped further into the abyss of the ages with every passing year.

Dr. Franxx mused upon this change as he stared through the window at what had become of the Praetorian. Where once the creature had been active and threatening, it now lay dormant and placid, featureless and dull. It was the perfect physical representation of what humanity had become over the last century: nothing more than an uninspired geometric shape. But, he had a running theory that the Praetorian was different from humanity, in that it wasn't done just yet, but was actually changing internally, becoming something greater and far more complicated. _Will humanity follow that as an example? Will we ever emerge from this age of dust and silence? Will we return to the beings we once were- hateful, arrogant, and greedy- or, will we emerge as something greater- something better?_

The cry of alarm came from his watch, alerting him to the final thirty seconds of the hour. At last, the time had come. He looked to the sage beside him and gave him a quick nod. A technician began a countdown in the background as the seconds ticked inevitably away.

"Ten... nine..."

The lights faltered, casting long shadows throughout the room for a second as power was forcibly rerouted from all but the most essential of locations.

"... eight... seven..."

Machinery moved within the auxiliary hanger, grinding into place as the specimen was lifted, held aloft on a center platform as it ascended into the air. Massive spans of metal sheets descended on multiple mechanical arms, arranging themselves upon either side of the specimen.

"... six... five..."

A humming pierced the air, even through the supposedly sound-proof plexiglass that shielded him from the test area. The very air between the sheets of metal seemed to waver, shivering as the projective metal sang.

"... four... three..."

Dr. Franxx felt every hair on his body prick up, brought to attention by the electric discharge that was building up now. The arms shook as they tried to hold steady and firm, the song reaching a crescendo with a shuddering violence that bordered upon the ridiculous. Several plates simply rattled off their frames and fell.

"...two... one."

The lights finally died as the song was brought to an abrupt end. Silence reigned as movement ceased within the command center, the entire chamber swathed in total darkness from the blackout. There was no natural light this far beneath the plantation's shell. The world came back to life though as the auxiliary systems came online, tainting everything in crimson with emergency lighting. Monitors and screens flickered back on, their blue-hued surfaces twisting the light around them into various shades of violet.

"Status?" He asked of the nearest technician.

"Results are coming in now, sir. Once we get the air-filtration systems back online, we can-"

"Belay that. Re-task all personnel to bring the results up on the primary viewer at once." The sage ordered. It was a very inconsiderate order given present company. They were located deep within the plantation and without proper aeration, every non-augmented human would find it very difficult to breathe within minutes. Nonetheless, the technician complied with the order, disregarding standard operating procedures and their own personal safety in favor of hurrying along the work.

The main viewer was suddenly filled with the image of the specimen, round and full of featureless black: an unknown area. The test hadn't failed though, for any Klaxosaur that showed up during a deep-level elemental scan was painted in this same fashion. But, this time, something was different. This time, something else had appeared alongside it. Or rather, _within_ it. Located directly inside the mass of unknown material, a spattering of crimson nested like a diseased tumor. It could be nothing else but what they sought: the _human_ element.

"Is that... is that _him_?" The sage whispered next to him.

Dr. Franxx responded slowly, not quite believing what he was seeing. After all, it should have been impossible, but if he was reading it correctly, then the impossible had just came to pass. Not only was it him, but he was _alive_ _-_ or close to it _-_ as well, for the iron would have dissipated long ago had it not been bound to an organic form.

"Yes. It's _him_ , but..."

"But?"

"Something's wrong here."

"Wrong?" The sage's head pivoted sharply to look at him. "Explain."

Dr. Franxx walked up and tapped the screen, pointing a finger directly at the crimson-stain. "According to this, only about _two_ grams of iron are present there."

"And that's a problem because...?"

"Because, your bog-standard human male contains approximately _five_ grams of iron. Not _two_."

"So, you're saying he has an iron deficiency? Not exactly abnormal if he has spent a century in there."

"That is certainly a possibility, or..." he rubbed his chin thoughtfully as the possibilities raced through his augment-boosted brain, "... or, it could mean that only a _smaller_ portion of him remains."

The sage let out an exasperated sigh. "But, he _is_ in there, right?"

Dr. Franxx nodded with a shrug. "A portion of him."

"Then, with luck, that's all we will need. I'll inform Papa of your success. You can begin the extraction process at your own pace, but do hurry along. Try your best to preserve what you can." Without another word, the sage turned and left, practically strutting through the now-motionless command staff. Two black-masked individuals swept in from the shadows flanking the doorway and fell into step behind him; advanced firearms shining oil-black in the low-light were clasped tightly to their armored chests. He hadn't even seen _those_ two enter. Not that they should have concerned him, for he offered no threat to their master.

Dr. Franxx turned back to the Praetorian, the specimen still the same as ever. Except, now he knew what secret lay within it. Finally, he had someone he could actually use and trust to do what _needed_ to be done. That was, of course, if Samael was in the right mind to do so. After a century of isolation, he could very well have been insane. He chuckled at that thought:

 _Was he ever really sane to begin with?_

* * *

The house was quiet and still. An unusual circumstance if one were to consider the hour, for the sun itself had set mere minutes before. Such a time as this would usually be filled with the pre-bedtime duties of the children as they made ready for the next day or busied themselves with tying up their present duties. But, tonight was different. Tonight, their entire world spun upon an axis of impending change, and they all felt it creeping into their perception- no matter whether or not they were ready to accept such an evolution.

The children of Squad 13 were concentrated within a single room. Not entirely out of the ordinary- except for one small, bizarre fact: it was _Zero Tsu's_ room that held them all. This was doubly unusual for the fact that _every_ member was present as well- even the disgruntled Ichigo attended the meeting. Because of this striking attendance, and the room's meager size, the children were practically crammed shut, sitting knee-to-knee as they fidgeted slightly. Only Miku escaped this congestion, for she had been placed by the door. Placed, so as to keep watch. What happened within the room was not for prying eyes nor eavesdroppers.

"Is this really necessary?" She asked, slumping against the doorframe. The girl enjoyed the extra legroom, but bemoaned the duty she had been assigned to. She just couldn't understand the necessity of it; nonetheless, Hiro was adamant that she stand as their sentinel.

"Yes, it is." Hiro said from his place atop Zero Tsu's bed. "Please, just trust us on this." He asked Miku as his hand drifted down to entangle with the owner of the room. His beloved leaned into him, snuggling her body against his- mere seconds away from indulging in her desire to claim him. The presence of everyone else in the room was ultimately what held her back- albeit barely.

Across the room- and conspicuously far from Zero Tsu- sulked their leader herself, Ichigo. Her presence in such a place had only been secured due to Goro's careful negotiations. Even so, she displayed much reluctance in making an appearance and did little to hide such a fact. She met no one's gaze but Goro's- who sat beside her- and she spoke even less.

Seated directly below the small window of the room was the child who had been absent up until that very day: Mitsuru. He had arrived shortly after his discharge and had been welcomed with open arms and even some tears. He downed a few heavy pills now with some effort as he stretched out his legs. The large capsules caught in his throat and he coughed loudly as he struggled to swallow them. A pleasant hand patted his back and he finally overcame the dastardly foe. As he turned towards Kokoro to offer his thanks, he also bestowed upon her one of his rare smiles. His partner took far better care of him than he deserved. The simple acknowledgment of her kindness was the least he could do.

Futoshi and Ikuno were present as well, seated at the foot of the bed in chairs they had brought up from downstairs. They had been all too willing to attend the meeting, in fact, it was _they_ that had originally suggested Hiro to call such a gathering, working together in an abnormal display of complimentary partnership.

The last parasite- Zorome- sat cross-legged in the center of the room. Despite his location, he was not the center of debate. He just enjoyed the location, for it offered the most legroom possible- aside from Miku's post, of course. He looked at Hiro now as he spoke. "So, why exactly _are_ we all here?"

Hiro tore his attention away from Zero Tsu with a visible reluctance. His face settled into a grimace. "I want to discuss the topic of the S.T.A.R.R.S and... I want to talk about Papa."

"Papa? What could Papa have to do with any of this?" Zorome asked as he spiked an eyebrow inquisitively.

Hiro looked about the room, meeting each of his friend's gazes. These were the children he had grown up with, the children that had stood by his side for years and the children he shared everything with, save for his innermost thoughts and fears- until now, that is. "I've been... troubled ever since the battle of the Gran Crevasse," Hiro admitted now to those he could safely call his family, sharing with them the dark thoughts that had been stirring within him for some time. "Troubled by what we have never seen before, but which has lain in plain sight all these years. My friends, I think we have been deceived."

"Deceived?" Zorome tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, I've begun to notice things that make no sense. And, I've even come across some... _sensitive_ bits of information that only deepens my fears."

"Information like what?" Miku inquired from her post.

"Like things Zero Tsu didn't even know about. Things about APE that raise some disturbing questions. Things which have been kept hidden from us for years. Even things that Papa has... _lied_ to us about."

Zorome scoffed at Hiro's words. "Are you serious right now? This is _Papa_ we are talking about. How could he ever lie to us? We're his _children_. He _loves_ us."

"No," stated Zero Tsu as she shook her head, "he does not. He sees us as tools, and nothing more. I have the words of a S.T.A.R.R.S member to back that up."

It was Zorome's turn to shake his head, defiant in the face of adversity. "No, that's wrong. That's so _very_ wrong. Papa wouldn't think of us like that. I'm sorry, but Papa cares too much to just dispose of us. After all, he gave _me_ purpose all those years ago. Hell, he gave us _all_ a purpose on that first day. Or have you guys forgotten that?" His final question was addressed to everyone within the room; though it was Goro that answered it.

"I remember it... vaguely." His face scrunched as he sought to drudge up nearly-forgotten memories. "It's been some time, though. I remember Papa greeting us in person, but I can't remember every detail of that day. I was so young... barely old enough to understand what was happening... to comprehend the loss we all had in common."

"What loss? What did you all have in common?" Zero Tsu asked suddenly. She had never heard of their lives _before_ Garden. For her, there _was_ no life before Garden.

Goro offered her an explanation. "We were taken to Garden after our plantation was destroyed by Klaxosaurs. Actually, now that I think about it, _every_ parasite present at Garden in our time was an orphan from a plantation that was overrun. I suppose that's why, when Papa first spoke to us, he swore he would always take care of us. If memory serves, he offered us the ultimate choice after that."

"And what choice was that?"

It was Zorome that answered. "The only choice that ever mattered to a parasite: the chance to pilot a Franxx, of course." His voice was tinged with a noticeable fondness for the memory. "He told us it was a way to make our lives worth something. To have a purpose in our new lives. To have a shot at-," His gaze flicked briefly to Zero Tsu, noting the blood-red horns that marked her as an entirely different species; a species that he had once sworn to exterminate. He turned his face away, unable to look her in the eyes as guilt welled up within him.

"What do you mean? A shot at what exactly?" Zero Tsu cocked her head, seemingly oblivious to Zorome's deep shame.

"To exterminate the Klaxosaurs." Futoshi stated when Zorome kept his silence. "That's what he promised us: vengeance. The Klaxosaurs took our parents from us and left us to survive on our own. What child _wouldn't_ want vengeance? Papa told us that, through him, we would be free to indulge this desire. And that's when he made the ultimate offer: fight for him, pilot a Franxx, kill every Klaxosaur on Earth and then we would live for an eternity as heroes of mankind. Obviously, everyone jumped at the chance. After all, what child doesn't want to be an immortal hero? That's the day we became parasite trainees and the day we earned our numbers. I've been Code 214 ever since." His face twisted as he probed his own mind too deep, desperately trying to bring up more memories- none came. "It's funny, I've had that designation for so long that I don't even remember my given name."

"Mhmmm. Same here." Miku agreed from the doorway. "I've been Code 390 for so long that I can't ever remember _not_ being that. I think I was a bit younger at the time, though, so I don't even remember my parents- not even their faces. Just... vague shapes and such..." She said hesitantly, as if she were embarrassed to admit that she no longer remembered her own birth parents.

"It's okay, Miku. I don't remember my parents either. I suppose it was just so long ago that our minds have simply... forgotten the details." Ikuno said as she reassured her comrade. Across the room, though, someone was deep in thought, applying their cunning intellect to a problem blossoming before their very eyes.

Mitsuru's face twisted in concentration, remembering _his_ first memories of Garden as well- ones that _also_ lacked any detail of a parental figure. It felt all too similar to him to be a mere coincidence. He lifted his head, cleared his throat, and then gathered their attention. "Can I ask everyone a simple question?" Without waiting for an answer, he did exactly that. "Excluding Zero Tsu, who here has any memory that _precedes_ that first day at Garden?" Silence was the deafening answer. The parasites frowned and shared worried looks amongst each other as the gravity of their mutual response set in. None of them could possibly recall their time from their home plantation- no matter how hard they struggled. "I take it no one here remembers their parents as anything other than vague impressions as well, right?" Once again, the answer was damming in its silence. A sense of unease swept over them all. "I suppose then, that asking anyone for their given name is a lost cause as well." He murmured.

"My friends," Hiro's voice called their attention, "do you see now what I mean by being deceived? Something is happening here, something that is just now being revealed to us. These... 'inconsistencies' in our lives can no longer be dismissed as mere coincidence. Someone has tampered with us, someone that we have been far too trusting of."

"Who do you suggest is responsible?" Goro asked in a weary voice, already dreading the answer. "If what you are implying-"

"I'm not _implying_ anything, Goro." He replied a little too sharply. "I'm outright stating it: Papa is at fault. It is _h_ _e_ that has lied to us since the beginning. It is _he_ alone that benefits from our continued ignorance and our blind servitude- and not just ours as in those gathered here, but _ours_ as in the _entire_ Parasite Corps. We have all been deceived; all been lied to; all been _used_."

Zorome shook his head, muttering softly as he drew his legs to his chest. His face went as pale as the moon. "B-But, Papa is... was... he... he was _there_ when we needed him-"

"And wasn't _that_ damned convenient of him." Mitsuru spat. He said it with such violence that he jolted forward. A restraining hand gently grabbed his shoulder, the grip possessing a surprising firmness as his partner hauled him back. He did not protest this.

"Calm yourself, Mitsuru. You're still injured." Kokoro whispered in her soft voice. It worked, and her partner visibly relaxed by her side. He sighed and nodded as he accepted her advice.

"I don't like where this is going, either, Zorome." Futoshi said. "But, the evidence is piling up against him. We may have to consider the unthinkable."

"No, no, no, no, no-" Zorome repeated the word like a mantra, as if just saying the word would alter the reality of the situation, "-no, no, no, no, no! T-This... this can't be... what you're all saying... it's _impossible_."

"And yet," Ikuno said sadly, "it is the truth: Papa has withheld vital information from us. Information, which if revealed, might have drastically altered our decision to become pilots in the first place. I don't know how he or APE managed it, but our memories were clearly manipulated to make it seem as if we _volunteered_ to become parasites."

"Is that even possible?" Miku asked.

"It is." Zero Tsu answered. She turned to her darling, who met her eyes. "They did it to us once: wiped our memories clean, until nothing was left. They made us forget each other- or, at least, they tried to." She squeezed her darling's hand lovingly and they smiled at each other. "But, I like to think our love was too strong to be conquered." And then, with a complete disregard for present company, she leaned in and kissed Hiro upon the lips. The boy returned it without a hint of shame. Across the room, Ichigo's grimace went unseen by all but one.

"They did all that? That's awful." Kokoro said and she tightened her grip upon her own partner's shoulder.

The couple broke their intimate moment, much to the relief of their companions. More than one had squirmed in awkward silence. "They have undoubtedly done more than that. And they are willing to go even further. I don't believe anything is truly off limits for them… or _him_."

"Surely, there must be a line somewhere? Papa must have limits." Goro proposed. But Hiro only shook his head.

"No. The S.T.A.R.R.S are evidence enough of the extreme methods Papa will employ."

"The S.T.A.R.R.S." Kokoro murmured venomously. Her tone caught the others by surprise, for she was a kind soul and such a tone of voice did not suit her at all. Indeed, many of the children did not even believe that she could countenance malice towards another living being. "I don't think I like them."

"Wow, Kokoro. I didn't think you had such strong feelings about them." Miku said. She turned her head briefly to the hall, making sure that the way was still clear of any potential eavesdroppers.

"They haven't exactly been polite since they arrived. They forced Mitsuru out of his hospital room without regard for his injuries. I can't overlook such... such rudeness." For Kokoro, calling someone 'rude' was as close to directly insulting a person as it was possible for her to get.

"Yeah, you got that right." Futoshi agreed with his former partner. "Those guys have no respect for, well, anyone. And, honestly, that one girl freaks me out..." He admitted with a shiver. "Are you really fine with letting them stay here?"

Hiro nodded. "I am; though, we will put it to a vote."

"We're voting?" Goro raised an eyebrow at his friend. "I was under the impression they were assigned here."

"They have no such orders- officially."

Miku huffed aloud. "Then, why would we let them stay? It seems everyone here dislikes them already. Right?" The only parasite that did not nod their head in agreement was Hiro. In a striking move, Zero Tsu went against her darling and joined the common consensus, nodding her head along with the others.

"You're exactly right. Even I have my own reservations about the S.T.A.R.R.S, but we have to consider the situation." Hiro began to explain. "Although they weren't assigned here initially, they were granted automatic access to move freely about. Sudden, unrestricted access to the entire plantation as soon as they stepped off their transport. That doesn't sound at all suspicious to anyone here?"

"Well, now that you mention it..." Mitsuru mused, "that is highly... unusual for APE, especially considering our comparatively limited access. But, what exactly are you getting at?"

"I'm getting the feeling that Papa _wanted_ the S.T.A.R.R.S to find their way into our home. But, he needed their arrival to appear natural."

"Why would that at all be necessary? If Papa ordered them to stay here, then there isn't a thing we could do to deny them."

"Because, if he forced them here it would be far too overt of a move. I have a hunch that they were sent here for a reason. That reason is to act as spies against us." The room went silent at that. It was only broken by a snort of disbelief from Zorome.

"What? That's ridiculous. Why would Papa send spies? We're not doing anything wrong." He said, completely oblivious to the irony of the discussion he was actively participating in.

"I don't know, but the S.T.A.R.R.S are fiercely loyal to Papa. They would do _anything_ if Papa commanded it. Actually, they may be more than just spies. They may have motives beyond our wildest imaginations."

"All the more reason to bar them from the house." Goro argued, but Hiro would not be swayed.

"No, we can't deny them. At least, not openly. If we were to do so, then that might be seen as an act of open rebellion against Papa. All things considered, I'd like to avoid that."

"Rebellion?" Zorome's lips trembled at the word. "No one said anything about rebelling!" But his concerns went unaddressed.

"So, why do you think they should stay, Hiro?" Futoshi inquired. "I'm curious as to your reasoning for allowing potential spies to reside in our home."

"One, as I've said, denying them could be seen as an act against Papa. Two, denying them could also be seen as solid proof that we _are_ up to something, which would definitely draw a strong reaction from Papa. And three, the S.T.A.R.R.S know far more about APE, Papa and even the world itself than we could ever have imagined. We would be fools to ignore such an opportunity to gather as much information as possible."

Mitsuru interrupted as realization dawned upon him. "You want us to spy on _them_ , don't you?"

Hiro nodded. "Mhmmm. Anything and everything they have to say has to be scrutinized thoroughly. That's why I'm arguing for them to stay. If we have them here, where we can keep an eye on them and control what they see and hear, then we could turn the situation to our advantage. We could learn from them while they learn nothing from us."

"No," Ikuno said and Hiro looked at her in faint surprise. She defended her answer. "Hiro, I agree with most of your reasoning, but not that last portion. The S.T.A.R.R.S shouldn't be deafened. If they report nothing, then Papa will definitely have reason to believe something _is_ wrong. They should have at least _something_ to report."

"You make a good point, Ikuno. So, we can feed them false information while we gather our own intelligence. Everybody like the sound of that?"

"No!" Zorome exclaimed. "I don't like any of this! All of this is wild speculation and goes against everything _I_ believe in. I _believe_ in Papa! I _believe_ in APE! I won't be part of this... this _rebellion_." His lips curled with distaste at the word.

"Zorome," Ichigo said icily from behind the boy, "it is not a rebellion. We are simply taking the steps required to preserve the safety of our squad. We're not killing anyone, just gathering information and making sure Papa understands where our loyalties lie."

"It still feels _wrong_. And, it's deceitful. I won't be a part of this."

"That's fine. You don't have to be a part of anything, Zorome. But, as your fellow stamen, I ask you that you maintain discretion and speak of nothing of what has occurred here tonight. You might be right, this might _be_ all wild speculation, but if it isn't... I'd rather be in the best position as possible." Mitsuru said.

"You're all insane." Zorome shook his head as he stood up. "I said I won't be a part of this any longer. Goodnight." He turned and made his way to the door. Miku stopped him.

"Zorome, no... please, don't do this." The words of his partner very nearly stopped him. But the memory of a golden masked man swathed in voluminous robes reminded him of the loyalty he owed out of love. And yet, the loyalty to his peers also tugged as his heart. He turned to address the room.

"I'm going now." He stated. "But, I'll be quiet about what happened here tonight. As far as I'm concerned, this was all just to bring Mitsuru back up to speed." He turned and Miku let him go without protest.

Hiro cleared his throat. "So, anyone else care to leave as well?" None of the other children moved. Not even Ichigo, who had been unreadable and unresponsive for the entire night. She met his eyes and gave him a nod, the gesture speaking volumes about where she stood. "Then, everyone is in agreement?" No one protested. He took a deep breath. "That's it, then. The S.T.A.R.R.S are staying."

As the parasites left him and his precious honeysuckle alone in _their_ room, Hiro couldn't help but to feel as if they had made the opening move in a dangerous game. And, their opponent was none other than the man they had loved and respected their entire lives.

* * *

Unbeknownst to the children of Plantation Defense Squad 13, Papa had no need of such rudimentary methods of observation as human informants. No, the technology of man had long ago made such methods obsolete.

The house appeared just as obsolete, just as archaic as those methods. But, this was a lie. This was a fallacy, constructed just like the childrens' false memories in order to lull them into a false sense of security. The house was built of brick, wood and stone in the fashion of the old ways, but it held a secret addition: a modern twist that was as subtle as it was insidious.

Beneath the floorboards, pressure sensors tracked movement, mapping every step ever tread through the halls. In the walls themselves were hidden motion detectors that tracked every hand gesture and lip movement and subtle vibration produced by any organic being. These were so subtle and sensitive that they could even track the various residents' bloodflow. And, of course, every square inch of empty air was recorded by literal thousands of listening devices that recorded even the faintest of heartbeats.

Nothing went unnoticed in the house.

Nothing went unseen in the house.

Nothing went _unheard_ in the house.

Hundreds of miles above, trapped in geosynchronous orbit, sitting alone in their chambers in front of a customized monitoring station, a figure sat and watched and listened and smiled.

"And now, the game can finally… begin."


	11. Chapter 11: Old Friends

Welcome once again, everyone! I will preface with saying that this chapter has no involvement from any of the parasites, so if that's your thing then I suggest you skip this chapter; though you will be horribly confused as a result. This chapter is entirely from the point of view of Samael, Dr. Franxx and even Lilith at some point. Hope you enjoy it! Also, I had a lot of fun writing the action in this one. As always, let me know what you think!

* * *

 **Chapter 11**

 **Old Friends**

* * *

Hell.

I was surely in hell. There was no alternative explanation: no other logical reason for where I found myself now.

I was chained to a wall, my wrists bound and shackled by unbreakable irons as I was forced to kneel in an empty, unlit room. A heavy, cast-iron collar was clasped about my neck and it tethered me to the ground so that I could not move even had I the strength to do so. A device of devilish design was affixed to my face as well, and from it spewed the distilled essence of evil: images of slaughter, cruelty and other endless horrors flashed through my eyes as scalding-hot knives burned their way into my mind with every fresh image, turning me and twisting me into something less than human. Something cruel. Something... _monstrous_.

 _So_ , I thought to myself, _this must be hell. Colder than I imagined. Wet, too. How... disappointingly squalid. How fitting for a wretched creature such as I that I suffer in indignity for all eternity. I suppose hell really is of your own make._

The scene changed.

I was standing in a frozen forest now, wind howling through the trees as it bit into my exposed skin. I was naked from the waist up. I was moving. Running. Running over frozen earth.

I was barefoot.

I was armed.

I was on the hunt.

I leapt over a fallen log covered in frost and spun around a tree. A man turned, saw me, and swung an impromptu weapon in the form of a heavy tree-limb. I ducked, delivering an open-handed blow to his solar plexus that drove him back several paces, gasping for air, and then I drove the metal spike I was armed with through his chin and up into his brain. He twitched once, twice and then went slack. The corpse dropped backwards and plopped into the snow. That hadn't been a glorious kill, nor particularly skillful, but it had felt... _good_.

I looked at the hand that had done the deed. A coat of steaming-hot crimson painted it until the elbow. I let out a laugh- the only sound in the frozen forest. And then I took up running once more, because my mind told me that he wasn't the last. There was more blood to be shed. _Always more._

 _Was this frozen vista purgatory- the realm of lost souls_ _? Why can I kill here_ _?_ I wondered idly as I sped through the forest, once again drawn ever on wards by the call of the hunt.

"Samael..."

The scene changed again.

I was still running. My body shifting with every step, caught unbalanced by the increased weight of the equipment I now carried, the various portions jiggling erratically with my movements. None of it was truly important though. Only the weight of the rifle in my hands mattered.

I half-jumped over a ditch and my leg caught, pulling me down just as a hail of rounds stitched through the air above me. I was lucky. The brother behind me was not, and I watched from relative safety as the bullets opened up a scarlet valley upon his body until he separated at his abdominal section.

For the smallest of moments, a woman flickered into reality behind him, blue-skinned and hauntingly beautiful, but something was inexplicably off about her. Her lips did not move as she said my name.

"Samael..."

I turned and raised my weapon, pulling the trigger and roaring alongside my weapon. For the brother lost, I raged at the foe. I raged at the world too, for the sorry state my brothers and I were in. I raged at myself, for it should've been _me_ that had died.

 _This is a memory. I do not die here on this field. But... why am I here again? Am I dead now?_ I could only question my own actions as I followed them, unable to influence any of it for I was a slave to the memory.

The scene changed a third time.

I was mid-act this time.

There was a man kneeling before me, unarmed and defeated. He looked up at me, tears streaming down his face as he pleaded for mercy, begging for his life as he sniveled nonsense about having a wife and child- like _that_ mattered anymore. All I felt was repulsion for his pathetic actions, for my brothers had possessed families as well- wives and children to call their own- but, that time was far, far in the past. Our families were gone… and we were owed blood for our loss.

I pulled the trigger without a hint of remorse or thought of the repercussions. Just like our families, the Geneva Conventions were a thing that existed only in passing memory.

I turned from the messy affair, but stopped as she appeared before me once more.

The apparition's torso had manifested this time, but her body was... abnormal. _Inhuman_ even. Her lips moved now as she called to me.

"Samael."

 _This too is a memory, but I do not remember her being here._

The scene changed again.

I was on a battlefield again, but it wasn't the same one as before. This battle had been lost the instant it had begun. The land around me had been scorched black by radioactive fire as buildings had been torn down by cataclysmic winds. I wasn't alone here, for what little remained of the area's inhabitants were scattered out and about in the form of charred skeletons. I took a single step and heard a bone crack beneath my tread. Every step was like that here, for the area itself was a mass grave. So much death was laid before me now: so pure it was, so undiluted by life that the entire scene stole my breath away with its grim majesty.

 _Another memory... but why? Why have I been brought back?_

I looked about for anything- anyone- that could have survived the blast, just as I had the first time I had been here. But no one had. Nothing could survive the primeval energies unleashed by the antithesis of life.

Nothing could survive the wrath of man.

The revenant stood there again, coalescing within the remnants of a shattered doorway. Her body stretched downwards and to her knees this time. Her body was all wrong, though. The proportions were off, the muscles subtly different and the bone structure altered just enough that she was clearly _not_ human. But, still she spoke again.

"Samael. Awaken."

The scene changed again.

I was in a chamber, an office of some sort. No, a laboratory. I held something within my hand. Something sharp. Something coated in fresh blood. I looked down. It wasn't just my tool that was covered in blood.

The floor was drowned in it.

Bodies lay about, dismembered, broken and torn. Flesh was rent and organs were pulped. There must have been a dozen and a half corpses spilled about me. I was the cause of all this death. I was the one holding the weapon, after all. It should have troubled me. This violence that I had unleashed, and yet, I couldn't bring myself to care. Something within me told me that they had deserved it. Something darker within me told me that I should enjoy it.

 _This has to be hell. I was never here. I did not murder these people._

I turned and the blue-skinned woman had already fully manifested behind me. Her hand flashed out to grip my throat, skin freezing from the ethereal contact. Pools of endless sapphire bore into me.

"Wake. Up. _Samael_."

The scene changed again.

I was seated upon a throne, the metal fixture far different from my surroundings. The area surrounding me was not made by human hands, fashioned as it was by a people far more ancient than my own. I could not move from my place. I was too integrated into the machine-throne upon which I had been placed. Wires and cables ran freely about and into me, plugging into veins, grabbing onto nerve endings or even running straight into my temple, whereupon sat two neural interface ports gifted to me by my once-friend.

"Are you ready in there, Sam?" _His_ voice crackled in from the comm system. I reached for it in order to reply, sending several cables rattling about.

"I'm here, Werner. How's it looking on your end?"

"All systems are green out here. We can begin the test whenever you're ready."

I chuckled at that. "I'm always ready, friend."

"Sam, this isn't something that's been done before. If it fails, you could die."

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained. This is all for science, is it not? Besides, if it fails then nothing important is truly lost."

"Nothing, that is, except for your life..."

I shrugged, knowing full well that he couldn't see it. "Like that matters. Now, are we going to continue this pointless debate, or are you going to let me do my job and start the damn test?"

I heard him sigh across the comm and I could almost see his facial expression. He was definitely shaking his head and squinting his eyes, thinking of something to say in order to admonish me. Such behavior was a usual occurrence when I was around him. "Fine then. Let's begin. Activating initial test in T-minus ten. Nine. Eight. Seven..."

I awaited the end of his dramatic countdown, impatient to begin the test already. Until I saw her once again, the specter manifesting before me in all her glory.

This time was a fully realized form, from head to- well, talons. She was clearly not of human ancestry, and appeared slightly 'demonic' in appearance, even managing to have a pair of horns; though one had been cleaved off her head, leaving only a broken stub. And her eyes- what eyes!- once again captured my attention. They promised an eternity of silence and nothing more. I couldn't resist wondering what such a peace would feel like. I wanted her to take me there, to the edge of the abyss, and then throw me off it so that I could be excused from this wretched existence. That was all I had time to think before she launched at me, grabbing ahold of my throat as her eyes stabbed into me.

"Awaken, Samael!" Her voice boomed, brokering no argument.

I obeyed, and at long last, I awoke.

* * *

My body jolted forward, catching upon the restraints that bound me to my throne. I pulled, but they did not relent. I was trapped. And blind. I felt panic well up within me, but I crushed it, for I refused to be controlled by fear. Instead of turning inwards where familiarity lay, I forced my perceptions _outward_ , so that I might understand the situation better. I could feel warm, stagnant air upon my exposed face, so I knew I had to be _somewhere_ in the material world now. There was a throbbing in my head too, deep and pulsing violently. That vicious little sensation told me that I was, for better or worse, still alive. How fortunate. +Lilith. Situation report.+ I reached out for my partner, seeking her alien personality.

\+ Ah, Samael. Finally, you're awake. Have you any idea how hard it is to resuscitate you?+ And her presence slipped into my mind with an icy sensation. The pain in my head ceased at once.

\+ Not at all. And you're one hell of an alarm clock by the way.+

\+ What do you mean?+ I sensed her confusion across our connection. It was genuine.

I hesitated before my next message. What words could reasonably describe what my dream had contained? To hell with it. She already thought I was insane. + I had a... vision of you. You weren't exactly... subtle.+

\+ A vision? Of _me_? Interesting... the fact that you _saw_ me at all suggests a possible lingering after-affect of your fatal incident. I have to wonder though... is it psychological or physiological? Your brain should have been properly reconstructed by now- aside from the occipital lobe disconnection, of course. I'm still struggling to repair it. I wasn't expecting it to be this delicate. Are all of your kind this fragile?+

\+ Hold up... why is my occipital lobe disconnected? Just what the hell happened to us?+

\+ You don't remember the fight, do you? I suppose it was too much of me to hold out hope that your memory would remain intact after the damage you received.+

\+ Did I receive brain damage?+

\+ That's an understatement. There was _very_ little of your brain even left after the fight. I've been busy these past few days, putting you back together again. It wasn't easy. I had to literally rebuild your synapses manually, piecing together what I could based purely on blind instinct and a fair amount of trail and error. Thankfully, we share similar neural architecture in our respective anatomies- aside from a few notable exceptions.+

\+ Not even my beloved brothers would have managed to save my life. I owe you much gratitude, my partner.+

\+ No, you do not. I didn't save your life, Samael. You died. Horribly. Painfully. Catastrophically.+

\+ I _died_? Are you sure? How did it happen?+

\+ Without a doubt. You were _very_ dead. As to how it happened: we sustained a ridiculous amount of damage during the fight, so much so that the excess in stimuli caused a feedback overload to your neurological core. As you had foolishly assumed the majority of the neural burden, this damage translated into a massive seizure in which you suffered _heavy_ brain hemorrhaging, ultimately leading to a fatal stroke. There was barely anything left of you when I finally enacted the preservation protocols.+

\+ And then... you brought what was left of me _back_ to life?+ I asked incredulously. Well, perhaps my journey to hell hadn't been a madman's dream. Perhaps, the place even existed. How quaint.

\+ Of course. What's so hard to understand about that feat?+

\+ The fact that you brought me back from the dead is a good place to begin. How is that even _possible_? You have any idea how difficult it is to regenerate nervous tissue?+

\+ For your kind, yes, I suppose it would be quite difficult considering your species general ignorance. But, remember that I have full control of your body- even your cellular structure obeys my will. At that level of control, it is simply a matter of time for me to repair any damage- even severe radiation poisoning would be a mere inconvenience to me. The _real_ achievement of your resuscitation was finding a way to stimulate your neural core to return to a working condition. I had to... shock you, a couple of times. Honestly, not my finest moment...+

\+ Well, that certainly explains the overly-aggressive hallucinations, but now I have even more questions: if you have such control over my body, then why even bother bringing me back at all? Why not just use my body like the puppet it is? Why do you even need me in a conscious state?+ No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't fathom why she would do so much to restore my consciousness. Why not cut the middleman out entirely? She didn't seem particularly fond of me to begin with anyways.

\+ Because, Samael, I still need you... or rather, I need your brain. Your mind, though horribly primitive and borderline insane, acts as a primary neural anchor. Without you, my consciousness would have literally nothing to tether itself too, and I would drift into oblivion within a scant few months. I cannot let that happen, not while I still have a mission to complete. Besides, what does it matter anyways? You admitted yourself that you did not care if you died.+

\+ That is the truth. I couldn't care less if my life was snuffed out, but I'm still having a difficult time in believing that you expended so much time and effort just to bring me back. I cannot possibly be worth _that_ much effort.+ And this too, was my belief.

\+ I have already explained why I need you based purely upon practical reasons, but if you still have difficulty grasping your resurrection, then I will appeal to your sense of duty, honor or whatever it is that you hold sacred as a human. You belong to _me_ , Samael, for you swore to stand with me until the bitter end and I will do everything within my power to hold you to it. Did you really think your death would be the end of our arrangement? Did you really believe that I would relinquish my hold over your soul just because you were slain? No, our arrangement is over when the mission is complete and I say it is. I even offered you a single chance to annul our arrangement before, but you did not take it. So now, you belong to _me_ , Samael, and me alone. Do you understand now?+

Perhaps, I should have been worried by her answer. It was, under normal human circumstances, a clear indicator of an abusive relationship. But, then again, this was not a normal human situation nor did we have an easily-defined relationship. Thanks to our deep-level connection, normalcy was no longer applicable, if it was ever even relevant in the first place. And, if I was being completely honest, what she had said had resonated throughout my entire being. Whether she had known what to say because we shared this connection or because she was being emotionally manipulative mattered little, because I could not deny her simple truth: I belonged to Lilith. Perhaps, I should have resisted her claim to me, but I could not. She had brought me back from the dead before and I could never again overlook that- after all, it was more than any human had ever done for me. Not even my beloved brothers could conquer death; though if there had been a way, they would surely have done so for me. And so, I came to peace with my willing enslavement.

\+ That might be... the _sweetest_ thing anyone has ever said to me, Lilith. I might just start to tear up over here...+ What I said was a half-truth, for no one had ever before been so honest as to why they needed me and I appreciated it- but that didn't stop me from slathering it in a healthy serving of sarcasm. She, of course, did nothing to address it, once again leading me to wonder as to whether or not she understood sarcasm. I was beginning to think my efforts were going to waste.

\+ That's mechanically impossible, Samael. You have no tear ducts. Your eyes are artificial constructs; bio-machines tailored specifically for use in combat scenarios. They do not require such obsolete procedures as 'lubrication'. All that is required is their physical reconnection- that is, if I could just figure out _why_ your occipital lobe is not accepting them. Why is the human neural core so, so... ill-designed? The entire front half of your brain is completely unresponsive to your eyes.+

I had a small chuckle at her frustration and I took no small amount of pleasure in correcting her. + The occipital lobe is located in the _rear_ of my brain, near the base of the skull. _Not_ the front.+ For a long, long moment, nothing happened. Lilith was dead silent. The silence stretched further than I was comfortable with and her absence became almost palpable. + Lilith?+ I inquired.

Incandescent light assailed my senses, tearing me from the blind darkness. I flinched and turned, hissing in pain as I instinctively sought to withdraw and wait for the light to move on. For a long, horrible moment, it did not, and it seared its way into my mind instead, seeming to burn away my retinas. I heard her voice in the distance, as if she were far, far away. + That will do.+

\+ Seven hells, Lilith! A bit of a warning next time?+ My vision cleared with a _snap_ and it came into focus immediately. There was no moment of blurriness or dull vision like one might expect; no gentle ease from the blinding light. The cockpit was simply thrown into perfect resolution without a moment's wait, lit by no source but the machines within my own skull.

\+ I warned you well in advance. Now, standby for audio receptors reactivation.+ And then the world exploded into a cacophony around me. It was the sound of shredding metal and industry; powerful enough to drown out any other sound in a tidal wave of raw destructive force. I endured the noise easier than I had the light, but unlike that period of excessive illumination, this did not fade with time. It persisted, clinging to its wretched life until I realized precisely _why_ it did so: the sound was _real_.

\+ Lilith. What the hell is that noise?+

\+ Oh, yes, _that_. I had almost forgotten.+ She said nonchalantly.

\+ Forgotten! How could you _forget_ that? I can barely hear myself think!+

\+ I was concentrating on your recovery+ She replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. + I couldn't let the humans distract me from such a vital- not to mention, meticulously delicate- operation.+

\+ The humans are producing that sound?+

\+ Well, not _them_ , but their blasted machine is the origin of the chaotic distraction.+

\+ What machine?+

\+ The magma-drill that has been eating away at our armor for approximately three hours.+

\+ The _what_?! When were you going to enlighten me with this tidbit of information?+ I was aghast that we had wasted so much time bickering amongst each other. Humans were our shared enemy and humans were now on their way. We needed to prepare- and soon. How could she not realize this? Why had she waited so long to tell me all of this?

\+ I was going to inform you when it became relevant. It is now relevant.+

\+ Well, _thank you, Lilith_ , deciding that this _critical information_ was now relevant to the situation.+ Honestly, I didn't understand why I still used sarcasm on her. It was about as effective as harsh language was at holding back the sea. + Tell me, then: what convinced you that _now_ was the opportune time to inform me of an impending enemy and not when I first awoke?+

\+ Multiple factors: the primary being that your resurrection was required in order to put up any sort of active resistance. Now that you are here, we might be able to mount a proper defense. The secondary factor is that they only _now_ just breached the tertiary armor layer, which means that it will be ten minutes at best until they arrive.+ She replied with a solid response backed by irrefutable logic.

The short notice of an impending enemy didn't phase me in the slightest. In fact, quite the opposite. I felt... invigorated by the news. Elated, even, that very, very soon I would have an enemy before me- and that meant I would get to kill.

Killing was easy to understand. It was simple and pure, and even the dullest of morons could understand it on an instinctual level. It was not something to be feared or abhorred: it was to be _embraced_ as a natural behavior. Put simply, killing was the taking of life for whatever reason one desired: survival, values, religion, even... freedom. Killing was the nature of man, and what man could deny his true nature? Only a coward would fear the beast that lurked within his heart. And that was why I embraced killing as not only a necessity, but as an _art form_ \- the truest expression of humanity: the purest of ideals: the rawest of desires. It was to this end that I enjoyed fighting, for what was fighting if not structured killing?

As an additional bonus to the impending conflict, I would soon be able to find out just what my new body was capable of and I was eager to find my limit. I could feel it pulsing within my limbs: a deadly strength to surpass any lethal potential known to man. My new body was made with combat in mind, and that promise of lethal power swept me up in a pre-battle elation- one so powerful that I nearly forgot about Lilith's neglect to share vital information. Or rather, I simply realized how pointless it was to remember it.

In the end, her concealment- intentional or not- did not truly matter, for I was _born_ to fight and she had given me the greatest tool with which to indulge that practice- but it was not the new body that cradled the last few vestiges of my humanity. No, it was the _purpose_ she had bound- one could even say 'slaved'- me to. I was no naive fool. I knew her mission to 'preserve _'_ the world would require many more of my kind to die- and I was all too happy to indulge what was sure to be a massacre. And so, with my head already swooning with the slaughter-to-be, I forced myself to instead concentrate upon the situation at hand. + Lilith. What are our available weapon options?+

\+ As it stands right now: you and your claws. + She replied, falling into the tone of a seasoned warrior with ease. Lilith and I disagreed on many things, and our relationship was not easily definable, but she and I did share a mutual respect despite every difference. After all, both of us were warriors through and through: killers, to the very core. And so, I did not panic when she said that all we had available were my bare hands. That was more than enough to kill with- with my new body, it might even be _too_ much.

I looked at my hands now. She was right in the sense that they _were_ claws- and they were still shackled to my throne. That was unacceptable. + Lilith? Withdraw this contraption. I cannot fight like this.+ The right one immediately clanked open, but the left held fast. + Lilith?+

\+ I offer my contrition, Samael. That restraint is unresponsive. The connection must have been damaged at some point. It will take far too much time to diagnose and correct the error. We must prepare for your fight as is.+

 _Like hell_. I studied the arm, noting the similarities it bore to Lilith's own form. That same mottled flesh made up the meat of my arm whilst contoured armor plates covered most of the surface area- except for obvious concessions, of course... such as the _elbow_ area. To hell with it, I thought to myself as I acted upon a radical idea that had spontaneously formed in my mind. I raised my hand, claws ready and poised for a downward stroke. Lilith sensed my intent thanks to the bond we shared.

\+ Samael! No! Stop this mad-!+

Too late.

My claws, sharper than any human blade could ever be and three times as dense as titanium, sliced through the exposed elbow joint, sheering the forearm off with startling ease.

\+ Oh, Samael... you fool...+

I stood up, now free from the throne's restraining devices and looked down at the severed limb as it leaked a vicious fluid onto the deck. I was still forced to stoop here, the cockpit not configured for one of my incredibly-enhanced stature.+ What? If you can regrow brain cells than an arm should be nothing, right? Or was all that talk of your superiority just that- talk?+

\+ Samael, of course I _can_ regrow it, but the process would take time and energy- time, which we do not have, and energy, which I have in dangerously short supply. Besides, I cannot possibly craft something as complicated as a functioning limb with the limited processing power I have available now.+

\+ Hmm. Well, it matters not. I have mobility now. That was worth losing a limb. We actually stand a chance now. I'll get us out of here, even if I have to do it single-handed.+ _Literally_.

\+ Well, that is not _necessarily_ true. There is a far _cruder_ option available, one that I believe might even suit you and your, uh, _primitive_ tastes...+ And then I felt my left arm fluctuate as the miraculous occurred before my very eyes. I watched, transfixed with a mix of awe and repulsion in my mind as the stump of a limb _changed_. The meat and armor blended together and ran forward as a single wave of undulating atrocity. Within moments, the limb was less an arm and more of a butcher's cleaver: long, flat-bladed and possessing of a wickedly-curved edge that loaned it a cruel appearance. It wasn't a graceful weapon by any means and it lacked any hint of higher artistry, but it was a weapon, and that was all that mattered to me. + Oh, it actually worked...+

Despite her own admission that it had been little more than a shot-in-the-dark, I appreciated the end result more than I probably should have. + Oh, Lilith...+ I cooed softly, as if she were my lover. + You know _just_ what a man needs.+

\+ I can reform the other hand too, if you so wish.+ Her offer was kind, but I didn't take it up, even though I sorely desired to do just that.

\+ That won't be necessary. I will keep the right as is. If I gain control of a weapon system or vehicle, I could turn the tide in our favor. I can't operate such things with blades for limbs.+

\+ I concur, for that is rather sound reasoning- especially for one of your 'questionable' logic. Now, I take it you have some sort of devious plan in mind that involves an excessive amount of violence?+

\+ Of course; though I admit it lacks 'deviousness', for it is rather simple: we will take the initiative from the humans. I assume you still have control over your own form?+

\+ In a sense; yes and... no. I was forced to rearrange most of my internal neural circuitry in order to increase our defensive capabilities. The reforming process is still ongoing and cannot be altered- at least, nothing can be done to alter it in a significant manner in the few minutes we have. My control is severely limited for the time being.+

\+ That's too bad. Can you at least open the cockpit before they enter? Preferably in an explosive manner?+

\+ What do you believe my form to be? A breaching vehicle?+

I sighed. One minute, she bragged about repairing brain damage with ease, the next, she was listing limit after limit. It was beginning to _irk_ me. And I so hated being _irked_. + Can you do it, or not?+

\+ If you're seeking a fragmentation-like explosion, I cannot. I have no way to generate enough explosive force to produce shrapnel. I can, however, liquidate a portion of my form.+

\+ And why would that help us?+

\+ The bio-mechanical material's disintegration would create a wave of steam as a byproduct of the liquidation process. You could use it as cover.+ She suggested hopefully, but even I could hear the skepticism in it. We were running out of options.

I thought it over. It wasn't a _terrible_ idea, but steam would dissipate naturally within moments. At most, I would have a few moments of concealment. I suppose it was better than standing around and striking a dramatic pose.+ Very well. We'll go with your idea. Just, warn me in excess of thirty seconds _before_ you decide to pop the cap. _Please_.+

\+ Of course. Have I ever not done so?+ Was she... was she serious, or was she being sarcastic? I couldn't tell. I mentally shook my head, dismissing her inconsistencies as irrelevant. I decided that responding to her question would only invite more conflict between us, so I redirected my mental faculties to a more productive path.

I took a knee and closed my eyes. With my experienced mind, I visualized the upcoming battle and began to run through various scenarios. But first, I made a checklist of every factor that would affect us:

Terrain: unknown.

Enemy disposition: unknown.

Enemy location: within immediate area.

Enemy count: assume to be overwhelmed.

Enemy's current state of moral: unknown.

Enemy equipment: magma-drill and, most likely, small-arms and squad-based weapon systems.

Enemy overall threat level: unknown.

After compiling what little I knew of the enemy, I assessed my own attributes:

Equipment: a single blade, claws, and Lilith's incredible tactical awareness.

Physical state of combatant: no known limits; unable to remain dead.

Mental state of combatant: irrelevant.

There were a thousand more things that would likely affect me, but in the end it was clear that I was far too ignorant to actually form a decent assessment of the situation. Which, of course, left only one option: shock and awe.

\+ Thirty seconds, Samael. Get ready.+

I took in a deep breath, realizing for the first time that breathing required a conscious effort on my part. Since I had awoken, I hadn't actually been performing automatic respiration. As I rose, I strained to hear my own heartbeat- there was none, not even a pulse behind my eyes. None of this surprised me, for I _had_ come back from the dead, but it was still... off-putting on an instinctual level. I idly wondered how much of me was still human- not that it mattered.

\+ Ten seconds.+ I readied my blade. The damned thing was nearly the length of my body, but I hefted it with total ease. It was, after all, a literal extension of myself. I looked forward to using it.

\+ Standby for liquidation process.+

The cockpit fell away before me. It quite literally melted, blowing an excess of steam directly into the cockpit as it lost its form. It should have burned my skin, for it was surely scalding hot, but I felt nothing but a prickling mist. My eyes pierced the veil with ease and I saw what awaited me beyond my sheltered world in perfect clarity thanks to my enhanced vision.

Several ranks of masked soldiers stood before me. They were all clad in body armor- flak vests, to absorb and disperse ballistic energy. They were armed as well, their equipment ranging from assault rifles to sub-machine guns; though a few combat shotguns had found their way into the mix as well. Most, if not all, of these weapons were pointed in my general direction; though, for the moment, I was concealed in a wave of steam, but it wouldn't last much longer.

\+ Sixty-four armed personnel identified.+ Lilith chimed in.

Hell. That was more meat than I had expected there to be. Well, no use worrying about it. I moved- faster than I had ever moved before- and quickly cleared the cloud of steam before it could dissipate.

I struck from down low and the side, cleaving through half a dozen men that had been closing in on the cockpit. There was no resistance to my swipe, only a lingering wet-sensation that seeped through my blade and into my perception. I took a step forward, my clawed foot splashing in a pool of blood. The men had been bisected at the waist- torn asunder by my sheer strength.

Without hesitation, I speared forward with my blade-limb. Body armor cracked like ceramic beneath the blow and I pressed forward- one, two, three, four!- I skewered four fully-grown men upon by blade with laughable ease. I swept to the side, tearing the blade free from the corpses in a scarlet spray, only to bring it smashing down on a man that had a shiny emblem upon his helm- an officer, no doubt. The man disappeared in an explosion of rent meat and shattered bone.

What I lacked in 'humanity' these men seemed to have in excess, I thought morbidly. I drew up to my full height- and towered head and shoulders above even the tallest of my enemies. The ones nearest to me shrank away, their eyes bulging in terror behind their visored masks as they gazed at my blood-soaked form. I did not blame them for their fear. Within seconds, I had killed nearly a dozen men plus an officer and they had not even managed to fire a shot- I wasn't about to give them a chance to rectify that negligence, either.

I sped forward, aiming towards the nearest clutch of men; though I could've chosen any direction, honestly. The enemy was packed so tightly together that I wondered if they were men or sardines. It appeared to my tactically-centered mind that they had no concept of dispersion, packed shoulder-to-shoulder as they were. It would've been hilarious were it not the perfect recipe for a massacre.

I slaughtered another half-dozen men before one of them finally got a shot off. The brave soul in question wasn't so competent as his courage would suggest, for his shot went wide and ended one of his comrades before I could do it myself. In recognition for his unintentional assistance, I killed him last, slicing his head clean off in what I saw as an act of pure mercy. It was certainly the cleanest kill I would have for some time.

I charged again, barreling into another group and sending several bodies flying from the force of my impact. The survivors managed to return fire- the first men who had been able to do so as a near-cohesive unit. I twisted and turned, my unnatural reflexes allowing me to miraculously dodge some of the rounds. Some managed to actually hit, rebounding off the heavy plate I wore or simply sinking into my flesh with no lasting effect, but more often than not the shots went wide as panicked men squeezed their triggers frantically, hoping against impossible odds that the sheer volume of firepower would be enough to actually save them- it wasn't.

Finding myself in the thick of the group, I suddenly had an abundance of targets that were unable to fire without fear of killing their own. I turned this way and that way, striking randomly and without thought or hesitation, for none of them possessed the power to harm me. Men stumbled as they sought to distance themselves from the butcher in their midst, but I was too fast. I waded into them almost casually, tearing through them like a hurricane of violence and leaving nothing in my wake but death. Bodies fell all around me, their organs pulped and their limbs broken. I was soon drenched in blood: my appearance like a crimson spectre from the depths of hell. Considering I had been there and back, I knew what awaited these poor souls, and so I laughed as I reaped, mocking them with a gurgling chuckle as I harvested swathes of the frightened wretches. I could smell their fear wafting from their bodies- rich and chemically-strong as it warred with the scent of spilt blood for dominance. It was such an aroma that I couldn't stop the smile from spreading across my face. This was all a truly wonderful experience.

Through the press of stinking, shivering bodies, I saw another gleaming insignia arrogantly emblazoned upon a helmet. I reached out with my clawed hand, battering aside three other bodies that were too slow to move aside, and then I grabbed the man's head, raising him up high so that all of my foes could see him squirm in my grip. First had come the shock of my assault, but now came the awe.

I squeezed as I held him aloft. My claws closed with the strength of an industrial-scale vice and his head simply _poppe_ _d_ in my hand: helmet, skull and all collapsing until all I held were the shattered remnants of his cervical region. I roared as blood fountained about me, baptizing my rebirth into the realm of men as those closest to me cowered in fear, for how could they stand proudly against such brutality? My dramatic display coming quickly to its incredibly-gruesome end, I hurtled the now-useless corpse towards the closest group of men: they scattered like the wretched vermin they were and within moments their panic had spread like a plague to their comrades, the entire enemy force breaking and fleeing en masse. The survivors sprinted desperately for cover, fearing that at any moment the monster would find them next. I, however, chose not to pursue, as I had successfully chased them away from Lilith's form.

From the moment the steam had rolled out to the moment they had broken, the entire affair had lasted maybe twenty seconds.

\+ That was dramatic.+ She commented with a casualness inappropriate for the situation. I agreed with her statement, but I took the time I had just bought us to appreciate our surroundings. Behind me was Lilith's form: oblong and featureless, but horribly vulnerable to exterior manipulation. Before me stretched an area that I recognized, albeit vaguely: it was more than likely a hanger within one of humanity's massive city-complexes. I had never actually been in one before, but I recognized the architecture well-enough. If this were true, then we were deep in enemy territory. That was... less than ideal.

\+ Lilith? How much time do you need to walk?+

\+ I've made many preparations for just that, but I still need more time. Several days would be ideal. Why?+

\+ Because, I don't think we have several days...+ And, as if on cue, two oversized garage-style doors cycled open across the hanger, their doors shuddering upwards and revealing a worrisome sight: reinforcements. As they filed out in three perfectly-formed columns, I realized there must have been an entire battalion's worth of men: at the very least they had sent in three whole infantry companies, each one marching ten-abreast and thirty deep. Trundling alongside each column was their armored support- APCs with mounted machine guns traversing to sight in on my location. Behind each column loomed a far worse sight than any of that- three fat-bodied silhouettes that resolved into main battle tanks as they entered the hanger proper, rolling forth upon great grinding tracks and sporting an unrecognized pattern of armor. With their arrival, the entire formation fanned out, maintaining their perfect coordination as they stepped off as one. They advanced to my location at double-time, their singularly-unified footfalls reaching my audio-receptors despite the vast distance between us. + And here you thought _I_ was being dramatic.+

\+ Perhaps all humans share a flair for it? What is your plan?+

\+ Plan?+ I chuckled as I turned towards her form. There was nothing even remotely human in her appearance- hell, even thinking her current form belonged to a living being was a stretch. And yet, I owed her my undying- literally- loyalty, for as long as she would have it. Thinking back on all of the promises of my old life- of the brothers I had promised to save- I realized that I had never once been successful. Always they had died, because I had been no more than a weak human: naught but a common man. But now, I had strength beyond that of mortal men: beyond even the demigods of the ancient legends. It was a strength given to me by a _new_ partner- a partner that I would _not_ fail this time. No, I couldn't fail her, not like I had failed all of the rest. And so, when she asked me for a plan, there was only one answer to give. + I'm going to slaughter them all.+ And then I turned to charge.

The distance between the foe and I closed alarmingly quick. I was fast- far faster than any man rightly should have been. My clawed-feet barely touched the ground as I nearly flew to meet the enemy's forces.

They must not have predicted that I would charge, for their formation changed with my actions, but they reacted with commendable speed nonetheless. The flanking columns broke away from the center and veered further to their respective flanks. It was obvious what the overall intent was. They were trying to surround me. I wondered if they realized that in their center was _exactly_ where I wanted to be the most.

My enhanced vision picked up movement upon the front and I squinted, sharpening my sight to the point that I could read the serial numbers engraved upon their rifles. I watched as the center column came to an abrupt halt and raised those very rifles in perfect synchronization. The front rank dropped to a knee as the second sighted in over their heads. Twenty rifles belched a spray of automatic fire.

I brought my blade-limb up, shielding my face from the barrage of bullets, for though my body was proof against them, I worried that one might slip into my vulnerable eye and into the precious nerve tissue behind it. Death may have been an inconvenience for a creature like me, but failure was not an option. When the volley hit, it was like a storm of hail as six-hundred rounds peppered my body- yet not one brought me to a halt. I continued my headlong sprint without heeding what should have been more than enough to fell me. I peeked over my blade's edge, watching as two APCs wheeled out and swung into a defensive position directly in front of the column. They must have believed that a wall of armor would deter me. It did not.

At fifteen meters distance, I jumped.

My spine sprouted the armored tentacles that until that moment had been kept coiled within my abdominal region. Like mechanical intestines they had slumbered within me, but now they responded as any limb would. They surged forward and smacked into the deck, pushing me up and over in a single, mighty shove. Despite my incredible density, I was propelled high above the APCs, clearing them with plenty of clearance to spare. I continued my flight over the first few ranks as well before I finally came crashing back down, shattering the metal flooring below me- as well as the unfortunates that happened to be standing there.

As I held my crouch in the messy pool of gore, my hind-tentacles darted forwards from above my shoulders. They speared through the two columns of men before me, cracking through body armor, bone and viscera with a sickening ease. At my wish and under Lilith's guidance did these limbs operate, sweeping to the side and clearing the space of bodies before me. I charged forwards again, the path to the tank now much more clear; though a few dozen brave souls remained directly in my path.

I sprinted to the tank, battering aside the last few ranks of men that stood within my way, sending them flying above their comrades' heads. I saw the tank commander sitting in the supposed-safety of his cupola, but as I tore through the final rows of men that still stood, he hurriedly ducked into his mobile bastion, sealing himself away like a coward. I grunted in disgust, for a weapon mount stood unused but attached to the cupola. He could have fired the weapon at me- not that it would have been effective- but instead he hid like a rat.

A slow death, then. I decided.

I vaulted up and onto the armored hull of the tank and casually swung my blade-limb through the main-gun's barrel, severing it for good measure before I scaled the rest of the way to the top of the turret. There I found the commander's cupola, the hatch sealed to prevent unauthorized access. How cute. He actually thought such a measure would stop me.

Without a moment's hesitation, I violently punched the hatch. The metal held, but only barely. I delivered another solid punch and then another, and it was the third that finally caved the hatch in. There was no way I was ever going to fit through the opening, but my arm was just the right size. Without any ability to see inside, I sunk my arm into the tank, fumbling blindly for the first human-like form I could find. My fingers closed about something- a neck, or possibly a wrist- and I pulled with all of my strength.

My prize didn't come cleanly. A portion of him was caught on something within the tank and when I pulled with my ridiculous strength, well... he didn't arrive intact. I only needed his helmet though, and once I verified that he was not the commander, I tossed his body away- what was left of it, at least.

I plunged my arm into the breach once more. I could feel bursts of auto-fire prickle my backside and shouts of alarm rose about me from every side, but I safely ignored them. Until they brought out the anti-armor rounds, I had little to fear from the rabble of humanity. The other tanks warranted a far greater concern, but as long as I was located upon one of their own, then I assumed they would hold their fire. So far, I was correct in that assumption.

I found another human limb inside the tank and I grasped it tightly. This time, I extracted my prize with significantly more care, hauling him up and out of the tank without causing a scratch. Immediately upon the retrieval of my hostage, the weapons fire ceased- and for good reason. The man I had extracted wore an officer's crest upon his helm and I held him aloft for all to see. He squirmed and gasped in my grip, his eyes bulging behind a visor as he struggled against my strength, but I held his neck tightly and began to squeeze gently. I could have snapped his neck there and then, but the greater the drama, the greater the rout, and so I took my time in strangling him before his own men, increasing the pressure in measured increments. He struggled the entire time, fighting for his life with commendable desperation.

The officer drew a large-barreled pistol of a design I did not recognize and pointed it directly at my temple. He gurgled a barely coherent expletive in Italian just as he pulled the trigger, sending the ridiculously oversized round directly at my head. I smiled as my reinforced skull deflected it with ease. His face twisted in confusion and he frantically pulled the trigger again and again and again and again and again- until the weapon clicked empty. "W-What are-?!" His question was cut off as I increased the pressure and brought him in close.

"A _monster_." I sneered in perfect Italian. I laughed as his eyes bulged in a mixture of horror and confusion. Once again, he attempted to continue his fight as he reached down, drawing a combat knife from a sheathe upon his belt and plunging the weapon into my neck. The blade sunk all the way down to the hilt, burying itself deep within my flesh, but I barely took notice of such a wound. Within moments, the blade had been isolated by my form and the stench of burning metal permeated the air as manufactured acids ate away at it until nothing was left save a sizzling hilt that fell to the wayside.

Lilith did her work well.

"You know, I was going to kill you slowly, but... I think that show of defiance deserves some special attention..." I whispered to him, but he did not respond in any fashion beyond a strangled gasp. He was nearing the blackout point by now, so I wasn't really expecting a civilized reply. All he needed to do was die. And so, I lifted him even higher into the air as I positioned my blade next to my arm, the point staring directly up and at his stomach- a public disembowelment was always a good show of force.

"SAMAEL!" I froze as my name was called out. That voice. _That. Voice_. I knew it. I knew it all too well, for it was the last voice that had spoken to me when I was still a normal man.

\+ Samael, what is it?+ I ignored her inquiry for the moment. How could he be here? After all these years, how could he even be _alive_?

"Werner..." I murmured as I slowly turned my head to look about the area, searching for my near-forgotten friend, but I could not locate him. I only saw the rows of men about me: hundreds of them as they surrounded me completely with arms at the ready. I saw the APCs as their weapon mounts zeroed in upon my position, but they held their fire. The other two tanks, islands of armor in a sea of flesh, turned their guns to me, but even they held their fire. An odd moment of silence descended and the only sound that dared to break it was that of the half-strangled gasps of the officer in my grasp.

"Samael, please, stop this madness." Unbelievable. It was even in the same language we had last spoken to each other- German, for I enjoyed the cadence of his native tongue.

\+ Samael! What is happening? Who is calling your name?+ Lilith's voice reminded me of an oath I had sworn- an unbreakable bond in my mind. She was owed an explanation, but I didn't have a good one to give.

\+ Someone that should have been dead a long time ago.+ I switched to my actual voice, resorting to the language that he had just used.

"Werner!" I cried out as loud as I could. "Is that really you?" My voice was boosted by my artificial form and projected clear across the hanger. The men about me flinched as those closest suffered for their proximity.

"Yes, it is. It's been so long, Samael, you've... changed." I finally found him. There was a skybox-like area high above me, nestled where the wall met the ceiling of the hanger. It must have been the control center for the entire area. I narrowed my eyes and they brought the structure into focus and I could see him there, standing within one of the windows as he looked down at me with his usual gaze of undisguised criticism and half-veiled arrogance. Oh, how I missed that look.

"You've changed as well, Werner. You have a very _definable_ jawline." I teased him from my position, watching as his eye widened at my powerful feat of observation. I could see many things that had changed about him, such as the gleaming augmetic eye and the shock of grey hair, but the fact that I could see him at all from my distant location was incredible. I fancied it was unnerving for him to be so casually scrutinized.

Werner recovered his composure quickly and spoke again. His voice filtered in from the hanger's speakers. "Will you put the major down, Samael?"

Oh, right. I had almost forgotten my current situation. I looked at the squirming officer- the man was teetering on the edge of the abyss. I let him drop to the tank, my grip falling away from his neck, but I dared not release my only hostage just yet and I wrapped my claw around his head. Everyone had already borne witness to my strength. They knew he was in no safer position than before. "I can't do that, Werner. Not even for you. This wretch is the only guarantee that these men will live through this day." And I swept my blade across the ranks of soldiers.

"Samael, please. Has there not been enough pointless slaughter today?" And suddenly, I had doubts in my mind as to this Werner being true. The Werner I knew didn't care for the preservation of human life. Like me, he was a monster dressed in the flesh of man. It's why we got along so well.

"You and I both know, Werner, that there can _never_ be enough slaughter in this world."

"I disagree. Times have changed, Samael. The preservation of human life is now my ultimate priority. You would understand if you could see this world..." I knew him well enough to sense the emotion in his mechanical voice. He truly believed what he was saying. Curious. This peculiar behavior warranted a deeper investigation.

"Oh, I've seen this world already, Werner." I jabbed my blade at the command center. "I've seen the children you put in command of those war machines. Preservation of human life indeed. Tell me: was it you that thought of that, or was it someone else?"

A new voice filtered in, deep and resonate, and not even in the same language we had been conversing in. "We did what was necessary, my child. Surely you must-?"

"Who in the nine rings of hell is that?" I interrupted the disembodied voice. "They sound like a pretentious prick. Werner, don't let that fool interrupt us again with his bastardized tongue. I need answers and you're the only one I remotely trust to tell me the truth." A moment of silence passed. I could see Werner turn to the side, motioning with his hands as he conversed with someone out of sight.

+Samael, what are you doing?+ Lilith asked as we waited for Werner to finish whatever he was up to.

\+ I'm talking to an old friend, Lilith.+

\+ Your track record for negotiating leaves much to be desired.+

\+ Negotiating is for dealing with enemies and settling trade disputes. I am _speaking_ with a friend.+

\+ I do not like your friend. He is not trustworthy.+

\+ To you, perhaps not, but to me, well... he is predictable, at least. He has patterns, the same as any man, and these I will exploit in our favor. Don't worry, I can control this situation, or do you really place so little faith in me?+

\+ I trust you to take someone's head, Samael, not treat with them as if they are your friend.+

\+ He _is_ my friend, Lilith.+

\+ He _was_ your friend, Samael. You're something greater than any human has ever been, now. Just keep that in mind.+ And she lapsed into silence just as Werner spoke again.

"Fine then. We can discuss anything you wish as just the two of us. But first, please, release the major and step off the tank." I looked over at the man still held in my grasp. I smiled as I released him off the side of the tank and he plummeted to the ground. He landed on his ankle rather poorly and cried out in pain. I suppressed my laughter as one of his men dragged him away to a relatively safer location.

"The major is safe. I'm not getting off the tank, though. We can speak as is." Like hell I was abandoning my height advantage. Considering my new-found jumping prowess, I could easily reach one of the other tanks from where I stood now. As an added bonus, Lilith's form was well within my sight, meaning I could monitor the area about her for any threats. "First off: what year is it?"

"That's... difficult to answer without a lengthy explanation of the new dating system. That being said, you have been presumed dead for little over a century." I nodded as I accepted the information. I had known it had been some time, perhaps even ages, but... a mere century? And the world had changed this drastically?

\+ Ask about the key.+ My lovely partner insisted with her single-mindedness that seemed to characterize her unhealthy obsession with 'the key'.

\+ In due time, Lilith. There are social protocols to be observed.+

\+ The fate of this world hangs in the balance and you waste precious time with your frivolous social antics? You truly are insane.+ She made a good point, and so, I acquiesced to it. After all, my first question had satisfied my own personal curiosity to some extant. It was time to return to my professional duties.

"Werner, where is the child known as Code 002?" I asked without any buildup whatsoever. "Is she safe?"

\+ Mentally and physically. Ask about her state.+ Lilith practically stage-whispered to me.

"How is she psychologically and physically? Stable and well, I hope?" I amended my question and observed Werner's face as a flicker of surprise flashed across it. He turned once again to the side and I watched with my telescopic vision as the muscles in his face flexed with his conversation. The ancient man had no lips to speak of, though, so I couldn't actually decipher what was being said. The conversation seemed to grow heated as he began to gesture with his hands, waving them about frantically. As the intermission dragged on, I stole a glance at Lilith's form and ensured she was safe. The remaining two enemy companies had advanced further out, but had yet to make it to her before they had come to a halt. Still, their closer proximity made me weary.

"How do you know of Code 002?" Werner's voice returned, pulling me from my distraction.

"I met her." My reply was simple and true, but Werner's face twisted in doubt. He turned away, resuming the conversation with his unseen associates. I idly tapped the talons upon my feet on the tank beneath me, the rapping of steel a clear indicator of my impatience. The men about me stood awkwardly, fingers hovering around their triggers as they watched me. I could see medical personnel dragging away the wounded and bagging up the dead- what was left of them, at least. I peeled my lips back in a cruel smile, exposing my teeth- of which there were far more than there naturally should have been- to the soldiers as I ran my tongue across them in a deliberate move to mentally disturb the enemy. For the most part, though, my efforts went to waste, but here and there I noticed worried glances and slumping shoulders. My very presence was disturbing to these men- this pleased me greatly, and I began to wonder how else I could subtly undermine the moral of those about me. Just as I decided upon a particularly gruesome, but otherwise harmless, action, Werner returned.

"How?" He asked simply.

I cocked an eyebrow. "How? I walked up to her and engaged in a polite conversation. How else do you meet someone?"

"Please, excuse me for doubting your integrity, Samael, but my associates are worried that you are being... less than truthful. According to them, there are no records of you ever once having made contact with the child."

"And yet, just such an event has occurred." I brought my hand to my chest- exactly where my heart would have been had I still possessed such an organ. Then, feigning personal hurt, "Do _you_ really doubt my integrity, Werner? Is my infallible character really being called into question after all this time apart? Or, are your associates just that much more credible than I?"

"You've been locked away inside the belly of a genocidal creature for an entire century, Samael. The changes to your form are obvious, but how could I possibly be aware of the changes within your mind? How do I even know if you are still remotely considered human in your thought processes? How do I even know you're still the same Samael that I said goodbye to so many years ago? The harsh reality is that I have no guarantee of any such thing and I must treat you as a foreign entity. I am sorry, Samael, if it truly is you but I have made too many mistakes to place my faith blindly." I was forced to concede to his point of logic. From his perspective, I simply couldn't be trusted. That was fine with me, for Werner was a means to an end in this life and I did not necessarily _need_ his cooperation; though to obtain it would certainly smooth things over in the long run.

"That's all fair enough, but it isn't to her. After all, she isn't any more genocidal than one of _our_ kind." Werner leaned forward, placing his weight onto a twisted cane with both of his hands.

" _Her_?" It was at precisely that moment that I realized my mistake. He knew now, that I was not working _alone._

I closed my mouth and became incredibly conscious of my facial expression: I restored it to a placid state immediately. Maybe, just maybe, my skills at negotiating were not as sharp as those that pertained to outright conflict. Maybe, just maybe, Lilith was even _right_ in that regard. I silently swore to never admit that to her, for she would never allow me to hear the end of it.

"Yes," I admitted, " _her_."

"Intriguing." His voice was low and practically drooling as it came from the speakers and I instantly recognized it for what it was. I now had his full, undivided attention as not just a man, but as a _scientist._ Perhaps, I could use his inexhaustible hunger for knowledge and understanding against him? My slip could possibly be an opening to a previously unseen advantage.

"Werner!" I called out. "I'll make a deal with you."

He managed to lean in even more, seeming to balance entirely upon his sturdy cane. "Do tell..." _No_ _w_ we were negotiating.

"Let me see Code 002. Let me speak to her and know that she is safe. Then, and only then, will I introduce you to _her_..." I dangled the carrot before him. But I watched with disappointment as he drew back, shrinking from the deal.

"Absolutely not. I cannot allow you to interact with her anymore than you supposedly already have. First off, I haven't the proper authority. Second, I just watched you tear your way through two score of highly-trained guardsmen. I have no assurance that you will not simply murder her the second you two are in the same room." I shrugged.

"They weren't _that_ well-trained..." I turned my head and ran my tongue across my teeth as I made eye contact with one of the soldiers. He visibly shuddered.

"But, you see my point, don't you?" I sighed as I returned my attention to him- and noticed something _concerning_. There was a commotion within the two fore companies as men began to detach from them seemingly at random before forming three entirely separate squads. I noted that several pairs of men hauled metallic cases of oblong design between them.

\+ Monitor those men. Inform me if they enter within a seventy-five meter perimeter about your form.+ The warning given, I resumed conversing with Werner.

"Oh, I do, but I fail to see how it is relevant. After all, you saw me tear into these poor wretches-," I swept my arms out to encompass the hanger, "- and I barely slowed. Tell me, Werner, if you truly believe anyone in this facility could actually _stop_ me. They can't, can they?"

"That's not-."

"Oh, but it is true, Werner. It might not look like it, but I hold the upper-hand here. None of these men can stop me, and _you_ know it. _I_ know it. We _all_ know it. If I wished, I could begin to systematically slaughter my way through this entire place, leaving nothing but rivers of blood and islands of bone in my wake, but I do not wish to do this. You might wonder as to _wh_ _y_ I do not commit to such a course of action, especially if I make it sound so easy, but I will only offer you the barest explanation for taking my precious time to negotiate with you: it would take even _more_ time to kill everyone. Just know that _thi_ _s_ is your one and only chance to 'preserve' human life." I did not mention that Lilith required time to prepare regardless, but he didn't need to know about that. I watched his face as my words set in. He was stoic throughout the delivery of my ultimatum- for that is what it was- but even in the aftermath he didn't immediately react. He went silent for so long, I was beginning to think he would _never_ reply, but I was wrong.

"You truly haven't changed, have you? You are still just a blood-seeking monster."

I couldn't stop the smile from creasing my face, even if I had desired to do so. "Did I ever say I wasn't?"

\+ Warning: they have breached the established perimeter.+ My eyes flicked to Lilith and I saw the truth. The squads were moving in closer to her, hauling those same mysterious cases along between them.

"Werner!" I raised my voice, projecting it clear across the hanger. "I apologize for leading our conversation astray, but there are a handful of suspicious men moving towards my partner this very moment. Tell them to cease their movements immediately or I will be forced to..." A casual flourish of my blade-limb was enough to convey my intent.

"Those men? They are merely moving to secure a scientific specimen- pay them no mind." And yet, the men in question were armed with rifles, the weapons slung upon their backs as their hands manipulated the bulky cases. I had my suspicions of what those containers held. None of them were promising.

"I won't ask a third time, Werner. Tell them to halt where they are and return to their companies." My voice carried so well that there was no possibility that the men themselves didn't hear me, and yet, they didn't even waste time to turn their heads to me. My concern increased tenfold.

"I cannot do that, Samael. I have no authority over military matters." His explanation decided my course of action in a split-second. Those cases held no devices of scientific inquiry, but were more than likely some sort of weapon or even restraint intended to be used on Lilith. Such a thing could never be allowed to pass as long as I was sworn to her. As far as I was concerned, hostile action against Lilith was hostile action against _me_. And so, I acted without even bothering to speak to Werner. After all, I _did_ tell him that I wouldn't ask a third time. And I was nothing if not a man of my word.

I leapt from the tank, soaring high above the surrounding soldiers before I came crashing down in their midst. None had predicted my movement, and thus none had even been able to track my short flight. By the time I had landed, my synthetic muscles were screaming as they propelled me forwards. I crashed through the ranks around me, not even bothering to end their lives. I was only concerned with reaching and protecting Lilith.

I broke free from the throng just as the first spatters of auto-fire traced after me- not that such things could harm me, of course. Immediately, I was face-to-face with one of the parked APCs. I merely lowered my head and leaned into a shoulder charge as I sprinted directly into the vehicle. The head-on collision should have halted my progress there and then, but whatever ancient technologies had created my form proved to be far greater in design than the human machine and it was battered aside, flipping onto its side and skidding away.

The whole incident had me wondering just how powerful I really was. Did I even have limits anymore?

Such thoughts were sidelined as I crossed the gap between Lilith and the human forces, sprinting straight through the kill-zone of all three companies. As soon as I had made my crossing, I set to work, stepping behind and skewering the first man without delay. I turned and decapitated his partner and the case dropped between the corpses. That left about thirty more men- fifteen pairs with as many cases.

I worked methodically, slaughtering those furthest out first before working my way in. Never once did I think to offer them a chance to surrender. They were hostile and had approached her with malicious intent, so by my simple reasoning they were to be treated with absolute hostility. And so, I killed them without a hint of mercy or regret, laying into them just as easily as I had before. They lasted mere seconds before my fury consumed them all.

Gone was the diplomat that had spoken to Werner- only the monster remained.

As the last man's skewered corpse slid free from my blade-limb, I turned, presenting my armored chest to the no-man's land between Lilith and the human forces. There were none of the case-wielders left and-

My world was sent tumbling: the floor, the open-air, the floor, the open-air, the floor again, and finally, darkness as I came to a skidding halt, face-down. My ears were left ringing from the shockwave as my head thrummed from the impact. These sensations were not so much experienced by me as they were perceived. I felt so far removed from the pain that I didn't even feel disoriented in the slightest-

\+ Move!+

I rolled to the side without a moment's hesitation, but the blast-wave still managed to overtake me, sending me skipping along the ground once again. I came to a shuddering halt as I slammed into Lilith's gigantic form. With no where to retreat to, I stood upon trembling legs with my back to her- or rather, I slowly pushed myself up and used her to support me. I looked down to assess the damage done.

All things considered, it should have been worse.

My legs were twisted at unnatural angles and that wasn't even the worst damage. The right limb was missing everything below the calf and I noted with grim humor the talon that served as my foot was several meters distant- and still twitching. My chest had borne the full brunt of the initial impact, for my contoured breastplate had been gored so deep that my internal organs were on display. There were things in my torso that I did not recognize: black things that spewed dark ichor as they writhed: sacs of indeterminate use that pulsed with disturbing life: and at the center of it all, an engine of thrumming activity that heaved to pump a glowing, green liquid deeper into my body through many rubber-like tubes.

"Oh, what the hell...?" I muttered as I pushed off Lilith and stood as well as I could manage to upon a single, trembling leg. But, my words were not for the nightmare amalgamation of bio-tech within my chest, but for the two tanks grinding their way across the deck towards me, their barrels smoking as a literal army jogged behind them.

This was now an unwinnable situation.

"Samael! For old time's sake, stop, just... stop. You have nothing to gain by continuing to fight, and everything to lose by doing so. Just stand aside and let yourself be taken into custody. I have more than enough authority to promise you that you will be treated fairly and humanely." Werner's voice boomed from the speakers.

I shook my head, uncaring if he could actually see the gesture. "Damn fool..." he must've known that I would never surrender whilst I still breathed- or, well, maintained a conscious state of awareness- and yet he still offered it to me. What arrogance he still had in his old age!

Werner hadn't changed a bit.

I raised my voice to an appropriate level so that I could deny his ultimatum. "You insult me, Werner, for you know I cannot accept that. And even if I did, you gave no guarantee for my partner's well-being. I must politely... decline." And then I began to struggle forward, hopping awkwardly towards the oncoming enemy.

I had failed all of my brothers in my life before. I wouldn't fail Lilith. Not this time. And not ever.

\+ Samael. Your dedication to my cause is admirable. I haven't even the words to describe the depths of my appreciation for your efforts.+ Her words caused me to beam with an unusual sense of pride. After all these years, I would finally manage to keep my oath. Or, so I thought. + But, this affair is at its end. I accept his offer. We live to fight another day.+

\+ Wait, what?+ I came to a halt, but not because I was too baffled to continue. No, something had arrested away the control of my own limbs- or rather, _someone_.

\+ Remember, Samael, that I _own_ you. You will rage at my decision, but that is fine. It is in your nature to resist and I have come to expect it from you. It is what makes you my most precious asset. Now, rest your mind and know peace whilst you still can. I will call upon you soon and it will not be for peaceful reasons.+ It was already too late to protest. I was already falling to the side, my eyes closing as my will was shunted to the side by Lilith.

The last thing I saw were her sapphire eyes, and they promised nothing but silence and darkness.

* * *

She watched her partner fall with a casual detachment. His magnificently sculpted war-form thudded ingloriously upon the metal deck like a children's doll that had been discarded. She watched, both from her form and his, as his human kindred gathered around him and investigated his body. With a primitiveness that seemed to be uniform across their kind, the humans poked and prodded him with the barrels of their rock-throwing weapons.

 _All of his kind are just barely above apes upon the evolutionary ladder._

She continued to monitor Samael's broken form as his kin quickly carted him away. As she tracked him through the facility, she simultaneously diverted a significant portion of her attention to her own form as she began the laborious process of reconstructing her synthetic neural structure. Slowly, very slowly, she began rearranging every asset she had available as she painstakingly rebuilt her body from the ground up. Within the protective cocoon, Lilith's old form began to take shape.

Millions of years had passed since she had possessed a physical body that even remotely resembled her biological self. And now, she had the liberty to actually reconstruct something in her own image. She threw herself into this work, the pride within her mind growing as she fashioned a new war-form for herself. It was a difficult labor of love, for she was no bioweaver, but as her mind shaped matter according to her own desires, Lilith couldn't deny the sense of satisfaction that slithered into her consciousness.

She became so engrossed in this line of work that she completely lost track of time.

Lilith pulled herself from her work with a start as a sub-algorithm screamed for her attention. The minuscule thing was ridiculously simple, but it had been tasked with a mission that was far more important than its underwhelming simplicity would suggest. She had tasked it to monitor Samael- and she had been right to do so. He was beginning to stir in his rest already and that pleased her greatly for she respected his willingness to fight until his very last breath. But, this caused a problem, because she had yet to devote the time and resources to the reconstruction of his body. She was entirely unaware of the psychological effects that would be inflicted upon a human mind that awoke in a body so thoroughly maimed. So far, Samael had not displayed any sort of mental degradation due to his artificial reforging, but that didn't guarantee this would remain so. What she did now was for the best.

Lilith swept herself into his mind. His memories swarmed about her, assailing her with past woes and joys; though the former were by far the more numerous of the bunch.

She ignored every last one of them.

She owned Samael: from the scars upon his tortured face to the bio-mechanical organs that kept him from dissolving into a formless mass, she owned all of it. Everything about his physical form was merely an extension of herself. But, his memories were an exception- in fact, his _entire_ mind was an exception. His ego belonged to himself, and she respected this sovereignty. And so, as she settled into his mind, she did not pry at all, for she respected her partner- or, at least, as much as one of her kind _could_ respect an over-evolved ape.

But, this respect did not stop her from her act of suppression.

Lilith found his ego reacting to external stimuli: a familiar scent that had been detected by his enhanced olfactory receptors that she had left activated. She had thought that leaving such receptacles of information open would allow her to subtly gather environmental information, but now she saw her error. She moved to correct it.

She extended her presence about his surging ego- and then she smothered it. She drew the darkness about him and let it blanket him, simultaneously shielding him from any further intrusions. Within moments, Samael's awareness dimmed to nothing and he lapsed into a state of nonexistence, neither resting nor stifling, just... nothing.

Satisfied that Samael would no longer trouble her, she turned her attention to just what exactly had troubled _him_.

Lilith compared the scent to a million different items she was aware of. And then, the few thousand Samael had experienced since they had awakened. When no comparison was made, but Samael's familiarity with it remained unmistakable, she reached the conclusion that she would have to dig deep into his memories in order to find the answer.

She hesitated for only a second before she decided upon her course of action.

Lilith dropped the matter, and returned to her work, tasking the same sub-algorithm to alert her if he stirred mentally again or his body came to a stop.

It was only moments later that the alert was triggered.

She observed with pleasant satisfaction that the alert was now caused by his body having come to a complete stop- several kilometers distant from where she was now. Not ideal, but not necessarily too inconvenient. She could work with it. She pulsed a continuous signal through his body, using his form as an improvised antenna for the geo-mapping waves. With this information, she painted a picture of his surroundings as well as the electrical devices and organic structures about him.

Samael was being held in a room with monitoring devices aplenty. He was also the sole occupant of said room. With this knowledge did she determine that he was being held within a room designed specifically for observation. That was good, for it meant he was safe from immediate harm.

As her own reconstruction progressed smoothly, Lilith began similar work upon Samael; though her's would be the longer labor. He would wake long before her form was ready to act. But, that was fine with her, for she knew now that her partner enjoyed his socializing.

He even had a new friend to converse with.

* * *

\+ Wake up, Samael.+

I obeyed.

\+ Aw, there you back, Samael. Whilst unconscious, you were-+

\+ _Betrayer_.+ I spat the accusation without delay. I tried to move, but I could feel nothing from below my neck. My vision was blank as well, not the darkness of blindness, but the pure white of absence. What was I staring at?

\+ I understand you might be-+

\+ _Traitor_.+ I found another word within my vocabulary that fit my partner.

\+ No, not me-+

\+ _Deserter._ +

\+ I-I, uhm, n-no...+ She fumbled for an appropriate response. Perhaps, if she had apologized there and then, I might have dropped the matter. But, she didn't, so I continued without hesitation.

\+ You gave in. You surrendered me- _your partner_ \- to the enemy. _You sold me out._ _Coward!_ \+ I hissed at her.

\+ I… I no, I am no such thing and I did not sell you out. I only did what I could to ensure your survival.+

\+ Survival? You can bring me back from the dead, but you made me into a coward by forcing my hand instead! Why did my survival matter more than my oath- more than my honor?!+ And that was the tipping point.

\+ Your _honor_?+ The voice within my head froze over in an instant, and I suddenly felt like I may have pushed her too far. + What is your honor to the oath you swore to _me?_ +

\+ My honor is everything to me, Lilith! You had my sacred word that I would stand with you to even the bitterest of ends. Was that not enough? Was my promise to you insufficient?+

She pushed against my mind, her wrath as terrible as a deep-winter blizzard. + There is more to your damned oath than standing and dying, you barbaric ape. If I had wished for a mere meat-puppet, I would never have even bothered to bring your consciousness back in the first place. Did you ever _once_ consider that I need _more_ than a single-minded brute to accomplish my mission?+ Her fury was terrible to behold, but I endured it as I had endured countless adversity before.

\+ More than a brute, is that it? _That's_ what you want? And yet, you withhold critical mission information from me whilst making strategic decisions without ever once seeking my input. Sounds to me like you'd be fine with just a mere 'meat-puppet' as your partner. Perhaps, you should just shunt my consciousness to the side once again and use my body like the tool it is. You seem to have no qualms about suppressing me whenever it would suit your desire. Or did you think I would not notice?+ And then I felt her presence diminish with my words, the pressure within my head decreasing just as quickly as it had arrived.

\+ You're right. You're absolutely right...+ She said as the cold melted away by something that I could not place. + I _am_ a coward... I'm sorry, Samael, for the way I have treated you.+ Was this humility that I sensed within her words? Even _genuine_ regret? Was it even _possible_ for her to associate such feelings with me? + You swore to aid me in my time of need, and I am eternally grateful for that, but sometimes... sometimes I just... I just... I'm sorry, Samael, for failing you...+ And her words left me without a response.

Lilith's apology took all of the rage from my soul in an instant. My fury ebbed and died, curdling to nothing and leaving me horrible... empty? Was that the feeling I experienced? Or was I just lacking in any other emotion at this point? I could not tell. I treated everything as a battle, for that was how I had lived my entire life, but when she offered no more resistance... I could muster up no further desire for conflict.

Perhaps Lilith was the one of us that should have been the diplomat?

\+ It's... fine. It's fine.+ I said with some awkwardness. I wasn't used to being apologized to. In fact, I could not recall a single instance wherein someone had offered me a genuine apology. I suddenly ached to move on from this conflict. + What is done is done, and it cannot be changed. Just... tell me what happened after you... 'saved' me.+

She seemed just as keen to move past this subject for she willingly moved the conversation forward. + After your kin carted you away-+

\+ They're not my kin.+ I interjected.

\+ -after the _primitives_ -+ I took no offense, + -carted you away, I was placed under heavy guard and so decided to take the liberty to began preparations of my own.+

\+ Preparations?+

\+ Indeed. I am proud to report the restoration of my war-form is now progressing rapidly.+ I was suddenly intrigued by this new development and metaphorically leaned into the conversation.

\+ How rapidly?+ I inquired with renewed interest.

\+ Far more than I had first anticipated. My restoration will be complete within a couple of days rather than almost the week I had anticipated. And your reconstruction is already complete.+ I lost a little interest. Her reply ensured that boredom would now creep its way into my mind as I painfully waited upon her repairs.

\+ You restored my body? Is my arm back? My foot?+

\+ Yes, yes, and yes. Your arm, leg and even torso are completely restored. I also made some additions within your arm that I think you will find... _pleasan_ _t_ later on.+

\+ Additions? Like what?+

\+ Your neural circuitry was rather rudimentary before. You mimicked the standard nervous system of most humanoid beings, but I... tweaked it a bit during the restoration process. There will be many opportunities to put the additions to test soon, but for now you won't notice a true difference.+

\+ Are you withholding information from me again?+

\+ Not exactly. I just thought you'd enjoy the surprise later on. You shouldn't even need to utilize it until it's absolutely necessary for the situation.+

\+ And the situation doesn't call for it _now_ , which is also... what, exactly? Where am I?+

\+ As I said: they carried you away from me. Currently, you are several kilometers distant from the hanger and my form.+

\+ And why can't I feel my body?+

\+ Because, I have yet to restore your full-body control to you. I will, in a moment, but first I must pass to you a warning: you are being held in a room that is laced with monitoring equipment. I believe you are under intense surveillance.+

\+ Or I'm being contained.+ I offered a counterpoint.

\+ Most likely that as well. Your show in the hanger has the humans on edge. But, your 'friend' has been very true to his word. You have not been harmed. Your form has been scanned, even prodded and investigated by those crude tools they dare to call 'scientific instruments', but you have not been harmed or restrained in any manner.+

\+ Give me control.+

\+ Of course.+ I felt it flow back into my body. Feeling coursed its way through me; though I experienced it through a belated sense, as if I was slowly being submerged in a bath of warm water. Once that surreal sensation passed, I realized I could move and twitch my muscles with but a thought- just like a real body. But, as I sat up and looked around me, I knew better than to believe I was still wholly human for I remembered well the impossible feats I had achieved during the hanger.

I was in a very featureless room. The walls were blank and cream-colored. There was no furniture aside from the reinforced slab of metal I currently reclined upon. I threw my legs over the side and stood up, rising until my head nearly bumped the ceiling. Thankfully, I was not required to stoop here.

\+ To your immediate right is another room.+ I turned towards the indicated direction and noted the featureless wall. It was the same as any of the other three walls. + I'm receiving an acoustic return that verifies that there is movement beyond it. There is also an absence of significant electrical signals for several meters.+

\+ Meaning that it's an empty room?+ I ventured. + Perhaps the control room for this very cell.+

\+ Perhaps.+ She agreed. + Although, whatever it is, I can not say it is entirely _empty_. Here, look for yourself.+

My vision changed, switching from the visual spectrum of human eyesight to one that was... _not_ within the realm of normal human capabilities to observe. Everything was dark grey now, aside from a distinctive outline of a humanoid entity beyond the wall, but it shimmered with starlight. + What the hell am I looking at?+

\+ You're looking directly at the nervous system of another human being- your friend's, actually.+

\+ Werner?+

\+ If that's what you call that reject of a cyborg, sure.+ My partner had a... curious view of other human beings. Of course, I couldn't have cared less about them, but it was amusing to know what she thought of them.

\+ Can he hear me?+

\+ Several of the audio recorders seem to be originating from the room he is currently in. He should be able to hear anything you say. You will speak with him?+

\+ Of course. You need time, right? Besides, you basically accepted his deal already when you shut me down. Might as well humor him.+

\+ You're fine with resuming negotiations? If not, I'd like to make amends for my last mistake and fully endorse your original plan of wholesale slaughter.+

I sighed with genuine regret as I denied her endorsement. + As fun as that would be, I must agree that negotiations will get us further than indiscriminate slaughter- probably. Either way, you only need more time. I'll get you it, and maybe I can even get some information from an old friend.+

\+ Thank you, Samael. I knew I could rely upon you. Don't forget to ask about the key.+ And then she departed, shifting her consciousness to whatever task she needed to complete in order to walk again. I, on the other hand, shifted my attention to a task of my own. I judged where Werner's eyes might have been had there not been a wall before us and then I fixed my gaze to it. And then, I spoke to an old friend.

"Werner..."

* * *

Dr. Franxx wiped the sweat from his brow as he stepped free from the stifling room that the debrief had taken place in. Hachi was already waiting for him as he made his exit and the former parasite fell into step alongside him as the doctor oriented their shared path towards the observation cells.

"How did the meeting go?" Hachi began.

"It was a waste of my precious time! Honestly, who in the world demands I devote all of my work to unlocking scientific secrets, but then mandates I attend a _three hour meeting_ in an un-air conditioned room? Like I care that reinforcements are on their way to break the bloody siege. If it was such a problem, then why did we even begin this farce in the first place?" The doctor tossed his arms up in despair, exasperated beyond reason that one man could be so demanding whilst remaining so... _illogical_ as well.

"But, that's good news, is it not? The Gran Crevasse is the last viable stronghold the Klaxosaurs possess within this hemisphere, which makes it the most important strategic objective for the current war-effort. With it under APE's control, humanity will be that much closer to victory." Hachi felt it prudent to remind the doctor of the necessity of their presence near the Gran Crevasse.

"Bah! Victory? What a waste of lives and resources war is. Will this senseless obsession our species has for such a vice never be sated?"

"We didn't begin this war, doctor. _They did._ It is only right that we respond with equal hostility."

"Oh? Is that what happened now? I didn't realize, Hachi, that you were there the day it all began." Dr. Franxx raised an eyebrow at his pupil as they turned down a lengthy corridor together.

Properly admonished, Hachi briefly faltered. "I... wasn't, doctor. You know this. But, you yourself told me that the first Klaxosaur encountered was unreasonably hostile to mankind."

"I did tell you that, didn't I?" He mused as he perused his memory whilst Hachi virtually confirmed it with a clipped nod.

"You did."

He grunted. "Mmm. Didn't I also tell you of how it only emerged _after_ we began to explore magma as an alternative energy source?"

"You did, doctor. But, you cannot tell me that the Klaxosaurs lay sole claim to a natural resource. It is well-within humanity's right to take and use the magma as we see fit."

"Whoever said magma was a natural resource?"

"What are you implying, doctor?"

"I imply nothing. I only caution against blind faith and jumping to conclusions without sufficient evidence." When Hachi looked quizzically at him, the doctor shrugged the matter aside. "Forget about it. It's in the past anyways and we certainly can't change _that_. Only the future matters now, and to that end we are more than fortunate that my research is now reaching a critical stage."

"I agree." Hachi willfully moved the conversation along, eager to forget the doctor's sometimes perplexing methods of philosophy. "The study of the specimen will yield valuable information that will finally turn this conflict in our favor."

"What? To hell with that nonsensical war-stuff! The specimen is far more valuable than just another war-asset. We have so much more to learn from our guest than how to kill Klaxosaurs more efficiently!" The two men rounded a corner and Hachi expressed his doubts upon the matter.

"Are you sure about that, doctor? All I see is a monster in that room. What could we possibly learn from such a creature other than how best to destroy it?"

Dr. Franxx raised a solitary finger in the air as he informed his pupil. "Ahhh, you're too focused upon the war, my boy! You must think in broader terms than just simple strategy. Use your imagination! Samael may be a bastardized monster, but he is also a bastardized monster of magnificent potential if properly utilized. Just imagine it, Hachi. The _possibilities_ of finally uncovering the secrets of Klaxosaurian bio-tech! Humanity would enter a glorious new-age of civilization- one far greater than what we currently occupy."

"What are you saying, doctor? How could you possibly improve upon immortality? Are we not what humanity has striven for across the ages to achieve?"

Dr. Franxx frowned and shook his head solemnly. _This youngster was born too late to know how short we fell of our ultimate goal._ "Someday, Hachi, you will see just what I mean. But, until that day arrives, just try to keep an open mind- see the larger picture before you."

"I'm... not sure I understand." Hachi said with a slow shake of his head as they came to a halt just outside the entrance to the observation cells. Dr. Franxx turned to him with his inscrutable expression.

"You don't need to understand just yet, my young friend. I know that you will overcome your ignorance one day and find out exactly what it truly means to be human. Just do as I have asked. Can you do that for me?"

Hachi cocked his head to the side in confusion, but he agreed nonetheless. "Yes, doctor. You have my word."

"Good boy." Dr. Franxx said with a smile in his tone as he reached out to pat the boy- in his mind, at least- upon the shoulder. "Now, I have very important, world-changing matters to attend to. And you have the children to take care of. They will need your guidance soon. Do them well..."

"Always, doctor. Have a good evening." And then Hachi pivoted smartly on the spot and departed, heading towards his own office upon the uppermost level of the plantation. Werner watched him leave before he murmured the words he should have said to his pupil.

"Do them well, because I won't be there to help them." He sighed and entered the observation cell's control area without another moment's introspection.

The control center for the observation cell was empty, save for his lonesome. This was per his request, of course, and thanks to Papa, his request had been made into law. There were stations aplenty arrayed throughout the room, each one constructed around a different principle of observation: sound monitoring and collection, visual analysis, energy distortion recording, etc. But, they all went unmanned for the moment, save for the single station Werner now applied himself to.

His ancient fingers cracked as they danced into a stilted life upon the keyboard. He racked up several different tests to be performed upon the specimen, all of which were non-invasive and subtle in the extreme. They, by their very nature, would be far less effective than dissection or sample-collecting, but they were simple enough to serve his purpose and even managed to satisfy his burning curiosity to some extent- for now, at least.

Dr. Franxx sat back in his chair and eagerly awaited the results of the first few tests. Noting that it could be some time, he turned and looked at the primary viewer and the image it displayed.

The interior of the cell was unadorned and simple, save for the specimen and the table upon which he lay on in a death-like state. Dr. Franxx resorted to performing the oldest and most reliable forms of scientific inquiry: visual analysis. He studied the specimen known as Samael with as much intensity as he could muster and did his best to reach some sort of conclusion about his old friend.

From what he could see, Samael was... extraordinary. It had been mere hours since his awakening and the subsequent conflict within the hanger, but Samael's body showed little, if any, battle damage. Indeed, the only real difference now was that his ridiculously-oversized blade-limb had returned to a state that matched its opposite- of course, a thorough decontamination had also seen him returned to a state not literally caked in gore.

Samael was encased in heavy, turquoise-colored armor from the neck down, and it shared similar physical characteristics with a beetle's smooth carapace across the chest, thighs and extremities, but also borrowed heavily in design from the layered plates of a lobster's abdominal shell in other areas, such as his knees, elbows and even neck. The only skin that was on display was his face, for the rest of his body was covered by some sort of skin-tight body glove that seemed to be effortlessly thin, yet infinitely durable, for none of it had been broken at any point- even the area across his torso had been seemingly restored alongside the dense breastplate. His shoulder was also a peculiar point of interest, for his right side was blessed with a much larger pauldron than his left- to what end had this abnormality occurred, Dr. Franxx could only begin to speculate.

Eventually, he couldn't help but for his eyes to wander down and gaze upon the lethal claws that had replaced his hands. The fingers themselves must have been three, maybe four inches in length at the shortest point and nearly twice that at their longest. His arms and legs matched this bizarre up-sizing, and had swollen with a grotesque amount of thick muscle that seriously seemed to stress the integrity of his armor. If Werner peered hard enough at the still-image, it almost looked like the limbs had _non-human_ muscle elements as well, for he could not place a name to certain contours of Samael's form.

Just what exactly had happened to his old acquaintance?

Dr. Franxx searched in vein as well for the tentacles that had seemingly sprouted from no where, but to no avail. There were no such limbs now, and that troubled the doctor's scientific mind greatly, for it implied the tentacles had come from _within_ him, and such a thing was surely impossible. After all, that would mean his internal organs would have to have been displaced by the freakish things in order to make room within his torso, and that was- _should_ have been impossible.

The console chimed softly, alerting the doctor to the completion of the first round of tests.

Their results were... disturbing.

For starters, he had been wrong- a rare thing for one of his impressive intellect. Samael was _not-_ as he had first perceived- encased in a full-body glove of some sort, rather, the Klaxosaurian material _was_ his skin.

And that was just the beginning.

The plates of armor affixed to his form seemed to be made of the exact _sam_ _e_ material that also served as his 'flesh'; though the armor was a far-more tightly packed group of atoms than the soft tissue, which remained as flexible as possible in order to fulfill such a role. This meant that the entirety of Samael's armored form _was_ Samael's actual form. The man had become a fusion of the organic and the inorganic, a hybrid of flesh and machine so perfectly interwoven as to be almost inseparable. Even the pale skin he wore as a face was not actual skin, but was the same hybridized material that made up the rest of his form. Somehow, it had managed to acquire the special properties required in order to mimic the porous skin of a homo sapien; though to what end this grotesque parody served, Dr. Franxx could only wonder.

And that still wasn't the most bizarre realization.

Samael was dead.

Biologically speaking, the specimen within the chamber was dead. Bio-monitors showed absolutely no heartbeat nor any other sign of the biological processes necessary to operate and support the many functions of a complex lifeform. There wasn't even an automated respiratory process that he could detect. There was literally no oxygen flowing through Samael's body, and yet, the doctor was tracking an astounding amount of neural traffic in the cerebrum. Somehow, brain death had not yet occurred, despite the total lack of supporting organs and missing vital processes. Furthermore, it appeared that a good portion of his temporal lobe had been entirely replaced by some sort of crystalline structure.

Dr. Franxx thought it was singularly the greatest thing he had ever seen in his life before. Strange, but utterly fantastic.

 _This_ was the ultimate achievement of evolution. A being so great that it had bonded both flesh, machine and only god knows what else together in order to create a super-organism that could deny death _at will._ It made his 'immortality serum' look like child's play. After all, Samael was only dead in terms of biology, but the rules of nature could no longer rightly govern him. He was beyond the cycle of life now- something the human species as a whole had only been able to achieve in the most underhanded way.

Somehow, despite all odds, the obsolete warrior Samael had achieved true immortality.

 _But, how? How did this all happen? I had theorized that a portion of him might have remained; a vestige of his personality, trapped within a Klaxosaur, but this... this is more than I could ever have hoped... feared for. I'm not sure which I should be at the moment. It all depends on what he remembers._ _His temporal lobe has been replaced by some sort of artificial construct, and even other parts of his brain have been altered drastically, so there is no reason to assume his memory even remains fully intact_ _._ _But, he **did**_ _remember me. That should bode well, but what if... oh, god, what if he remembers too much?_ And that was terrifying, especially considering his current location within Plantation 13. If Samael ever broke free from containment... made his way to Mistletein... would there be any survivors? There wasn't a man-portable weapon in the entire plantation, maybe even the entire _world_ , that would actually be able to stop Samael if he were to go berserk.

 _I've made a terrible mistake bringing him back._ He recalled the massacre that had taken place in the hanger. He hadn't meant for that to happen, but the damn sages had wanted the plantation's security forces to take control of the situation. _And how they bungled that._ He was worried now, for the entire situation could have set the tone for Samael. _It's no longer worth it to use him. My plan already had a low-chance to succeed, but with Samael interfering, it would lead to an utter failure. The advances in all scientific fields his knowledge would aid is negligible compared to the potential threat he represents. I need to terminate him before he wakes, like I should've done so long ago... it will be mercifully swift and painless... I hope._ But, there was a single problem with his decision: how did one kill a truly immortal being? His brilliant mind raced to think of a way to end the threat of Samael before he awoke, but the worst happened at that exact moment.

Samael woke up.

It was eerie upon an instinctual level to see a corpse open its eyes. It was even stranger for those eyes to stare dead ahead, unblinking and unresponsive to stimuli. For a long moment, Dr. Franxx watched his guest stare at the ceiling. He almost thought about activating the intercom, but Samael stirred into activity before he could act.

The man sat up in disturbing silence. He showed no alarm at his immediate surroundings as he took a quick glance around the room. Then, he stood upright, his head nearly reaching the top of the chamber as he straightened. The doctor idly noted the massive increase in height that Samael had acquired in the last century.

Samael's head swiveled unerringly to where he stood and a devil's grin cracked his mutilated visage, the multitude of scars squirming with an unnatural life. Black veins pulsed angrily beneath weathered flesh surrounding the steel horns atop his head. Bloodshot eyes gleamed like cut gemstones hammered deep into his recessed sockets. A pallid complexion completed the terribly ghoulish appearance, and the holes that served as his nostrils flared with his grumbling speech, the words dragging from his fanged maw in an almost bemused tone.

"Werner..." The crimson gemstones bore into his eyes with an intense, unblinking gaze. It was clear that Samael could see him, but how this was achieved was beyond him.

"Samael." He replied with a nod. If he could be seen then so be it, he would be seen.

Samael's grin grew even wider at his acknowledgment and he sucked in an audible breath through his teeth. The doctor noted that this action did not cause his chest to expand despite the length of it nor did he ever let out the breath. Dr. Franxx concluded that the action had been a deliberate attempt at unnerving him- something Samael had been expertly trained to do. It might have worked upon a lesser mind, but the doctor was wise to the warrior's ways. He also noted that Samael had yet to close his mouth, leaving his array of shark-like teeth on full display- another attempt at undermining his mental state. He wondered if either action was deliberate or purely automatic at this point.

"Werner, Werner, Werner... how have you been, my old _friend_?" The beast of a man growled in fluent German. He watched as a black tongue slithered across the front of Samael's teeth- a deliberate action, no doubt.

"I've been- " he told the truth, for if there was one thing Samael valued above all things, it was the truth, "- better. These last few decades have worn on me more than I'd care to admit; though it seems they have been just as harsh to you. You look... awful." He replied in the same language, choosing to comment upon the state of his friend's appearance.

"Time can be as cruel a mistress as fate, but despite my 'degenerated' appearance, I am feeling fine." His face seemed to argue the point as muscles twitched beneath his skin at random.

"Is that so?" Dr. Franxx eyed the man's writhing face and took note of it- it didn't seem like Samael was aware of it at all. "You don't need any water or perhaps something to eat? I'll fetch either- or both, if you need it." He casually switched to Japanese as he offered some form of refreshments, but Samael casually waved the hospitality away.

"That won't be necessary." Ever the expert in tongues, Samael smoothly replied in kind. The doctor seriously doubted his guest's answer, though, for it had been some time since Samael had been placed within the cell. Surely, he would require water soon? Or, had he left such things behind?

"Suit your self."

Samael squinted in his direction, and he felt as if he was being scrutinized.

"Did you never decide to partake of your own elixir?" Samael asked, falling back into German. Dr. Franxx made a mental note of the transition, resigning himself to his birth-tongue for the remainder of their conversation.

 _So, his linguistic abilities are still intact? How curious... what else is intact? Hopefully, not too much..._

"Never." He shook his head. "I like the idea that one day I can find a peace that no man can take from me." He couldn't fail to notice that Samael hadn't visibly aged a day since last they met. Whatever had happened to him, it hadn't been time that had done it.

Samael nodded solemnly. "On that, we can both agree upon; though I now know that there are those that can withhold that final peace." His response was as vague as possible whilst still allowing a terrible truth to slip through: Samael was well aware that he had died.

"Might I ask what you mean by that?"

"You can ask, but I will not elaborate."

"And why is that?"

Samael only offered a slow shake of his head. "I have my reasons."

"Is _she_ the reason?" He watched as the giant closed his mouth, his lips holding onto a false smile; though this was ruined as his left eye began to twitch erratically. He vocalized no response, either, but his silence said it all.

"Who is she?" He inquired, and Samael stared blankly at him without speaking.

"Samael, _who_ is she?" He tried again, but Samael had been trained to resist even the most invasive of information gathering techniques long ago. There was absolutely no way that he would simply give up information by being asked- even by a supposed friend.

"Where is Code 002?" Samael asked instead.

"She is safe, have no worry."

"But, _where_ is she? I need to know- _she_ needs to know." The flesh above his left eye spasmed once again.

"What does she even have to do with Code 002?" The doctor watched as Samael's entire face writhed with his reply.

" _Everything._ "

 _He is definitely suffering some sort of nerve-damage._

"And yet, you're _still_ unwilling to elaborate upon the identity of _her_ , aren't you? Do you see my predicament, Samael? You're demanding information from me, yet all too willing to withhold it as well. Trust goes both ways, my dear old friend."

A deep, groaning sound came from Samael. It took Dr. Franxx several seconds to realize that it was a chuckle. "Wise words, Werner, wise words indeed. Then, allow me to suggest a... an _alternative_ to our dilemma: a game, even, if you fancy. I'll ask _you_ a question, and then you will ask _me_ a question. We will trust to our ancient friendship that we will be honest with each other. Do we have an accord?"

Dr. Franxx considered it. It was just like Samael to offer such a deal, for it was just another form of fighting to him. He wasn't designed for negotiation, but he possessed a frightening level of cunning that could see him turn any situation to his advantage. By accepting the offer, the doctor would undoubtedly be risking the leakage of vital information, but... was it worth it to learn all that Samael knew? _It's more than worth it. It's a thousand times more worth it than anything I know now. His knowledge, properly utilized, could make the difference for all humanity. It could even lead to his destruction. He slipped before by mentioning her. Perhaps, it will occur again?_ "Okay. I agree. Furthermore, as my guest here, I'll permit _you_ to ask the first question."

Samael acknowledged him with a short bow of his head. "As always, you have the most impeccable manners, Werner. Tell me, then, how is your wife?"

The question had come from nowhere, and Dr. Franxx was reminded just how much Samael knew of his personal life. And now he had used that knowledge to make his first strike a crippling one. But, the doctor wouldn't give in after the first blow. "She is gone... dead in the name of advancing science." But he could not deny the damage done by the question. It cut him deeply. _Very deeply._

Samael grimaced; though his face was never truly able to display anything but cruel parodies of emotion, beset as it was by nervous ticks and hideous scars. "I am sorry to hear that, Werner. I truly am, for she was a kinder soul than any I had ever met." _That_ was not true, for Samael had never actually met his wife. Only through Dr. Franxx had he even been aware of her, so it was not his fault that he had been given information that was somewhat biased. Still, the memories that the question had dug up stung, for they made him realize just how much he missed his late wife- exactly as Samael had intended. _Damn him. He knew just how to get under my skin._ But the doctor excused Samael's insolence, for he knew that such rudeness was simply in his nature. He was a blunt tool after all, and he had the blunt tactics to match.

"It's fine. Her death was... noble in the end. Perhaps, not in the act itself, but certainly in the purpose she gave her life for. She understood well that what she was doing would ultimately benefit all of mankind. I don't believe for a second that there is any greater sacrifice than that."

"Did you two ever have children?" His head turned almost sickeningly sharp to the side before it slowly re-centered.

"That's a second question." But Samael only defended his inquiry with a shrug of his mountainous shoulders- and, it worked. Dr. Franxx continued speaking, even though he didn't quite understand _why_ he did so. "But, no, we did not. She died before... before _I_ was ready." He admitted to Samael something that he himself had denied for the better part of the last century. Had he been more focused upon _her_ then they might have been blessed with a child... a _child!_ A son or daughter to call his- _their_ \- own! He could've had a _true_ family then. _How great that would have been... to have a family... raise a child... my own child... watch them grow up... watch them surpass me... die knowing that I would be leaving the world in better hands than I_ _received_ _it..._ He stopped as he realized how Samael had cunningly derailed his thoughts.

How was that possible? Why did Samael's patchwork face make him speak so easily? Was it the gnawing guilt he felt every time he peered into those void-hemmed rubies? Was it because he was a relic from his own past? Or, was it out of some misplaced pity for the creature that Samael had become? Any reason was irrelevant. He had to find a way to suppress it, less he lose the fight before he could even throw the first punch.

"What happened to you? What caused all of... this?" He gestured with his bionic hand, for he knew Samael would notice the body language despite the wall that separated them.

"Is it not obvious, Werner? You did. After all, it was _you_ that drove these-," and he touched his claws to his forehead, his blade-like fingers tapping the crude interface ports there, "- into my skull. It was you that strapped me into a pilot's seat within a half-dead Klaxosaur. And, it was you that convinced me that the whole thing was a good idea."

"In my defense, you _did_ volunteer..." His response only made Samael chuckle in that deep, deep grumble.

"Only _after_ you mentioned that you required only a single volunteer for some sort of 'grand experiment'." For the first time, his smile might have been genuine. "I'm not _blaming_ you, Werner. I remember quite clearly that it was _I_ that volunteered for the experiment. I even remember signing the waivers."

"What else do you remember of that night?"

"That's another question, Werner..." His smile twisted as his left side went slack and the right tightened. Dr. Franxx wondered if Samael was even aware of the issues his face seemed to be having.

"Please. Humor me, for old time's sake."

Samael leaned in, grinning ear to ear. He rumbled once more, and now Dr. Franxx was wondering if the sound might actually be the result of some sort of twisted engineering process within his barrel-like chest that simulated a biological function. "As you wish, my friend, so I will honor our friendship." He cleared his throat dramatically and the action reminded Dr. Franxx of a combustion engine roaring to life. "All I remember is..." Samael squinted in concentration as he dived into another age. "I remember the countdown... the warnings you endlessly gave me..." his wretched mask crinkled as he put great thought into remembering, "...the final option to turn back and give up... but how could I be so cowardly? And then, then all I remember... is a pain that seemed to go on forever and ever, and then... nothing- nothing but darkness for an eternity."

He leaned forward, hanging onto every word of Samael's. "And? What else?"

"That's it. After that... I woke up here." His recollection over, Samael's monstrous expression returned.

"You woke up _here?_ As in, this day and age, or you woke up within the hangar?"

"You're not good at this game, are you?" Samael pointed out in reference to their agreement of only a single question at a time, but he continued on anyways. "And, no to the latter question. By the time of my capture beneath the silent city, I was fully lucid and possessed all of my memories."

 _The silent city? Does he mean the Gran Crevasse? He seems to be having problems remembering. Was he truly lucid? For how long? Was he conscious during the battle for Plantation 26? Was he aware of what terrible acts of carnage he was responsible for? Is that when he met Zero Tsu? Does he truly possess **every** memory?_ Dr. Franxx had so much more to ask, but it was well past his turn and Samael was already asking his next question.

"Why children, Werner? Why use them as soldiers?" His upper-lip danced for several moments as he lost control of it. In typical Samael fashion, he did not seem to address it.

Dr. Franxx let out a long sigh. It was an old argument, long past its time. "Must I really address this? Besides, it isn't like we employ _onl_ _y_ young adults. Many of them almost make it to their thirties."

" _Almost._ " His lips curled about the word with distaste. "I imagine you start them rather young, and consequently the natural attrition rate must be horrible, but that still doesn't answer my question. _Why children?_ "

"It wasn't by choice, mind you, but after much trial and error, we discovered that the Franxx units I designed would only operate if they were piloted by someone that had _not_ partaken of the elixir of immortality."

"That doesn't answer my question. You could have had literally anyone else pilot those tinker-toys, but instead, you went with... children. You couldn't have waited until they were at least twenty or something?"

"I can see that this issue is rather... touching, for you." The doctor watched from safety as Samael bared his teeth in the first true display of hostility. Now, his face did _not_ twitch.

"So what if it is?"

"Oh, Samael, do you... do you actually _care_ about the children?" Could it be that the unstoppable Samael had a weakspot? Could there be a flaw in the weapon? Could it be exploited? The doctor's head swam with ideas as he stumbled upon potential salvation.

"I don't." And Dr. Franxx believed his words, for Samael did not lie. "But, I do know the difference between right and wrong, and using children to do your dirty work isn't just wrong; it's downright _cowardly_. And you know how I _loathe_ cowards." _So, he only cares out of some misplaced warrior-code? I suppose I can work with that._

"Alright, I'll tell you why, if only so that it soothes your consciousness. The truth is... it's because of my shame that they are forced to fight. You see, I was the original designer of the Franxx-"

"No shit."

"- but I ultimately failed in my mission."

"How so? You seem to have a veritable fleet of those mechanized nutcrackers marching to your tune. Seems pretty successful to me."

"Oh, I designed the vast portion of them, but the central processing core- the device that allows them to bond with their pilots- is... _borrowed_..."

"Oh, Werner, Werner, _Werner_ what a man of integrity you are! Who did you steal it from?" Samael seemed positively delighted that the doctor had admitted to something as unethical as the theft of someone's intellectual property.

"No one. Technically speaking, I looted it."

"Do tell..." He said, leaning in as a fresh wave of facial ticks sounded across his face.

"The central processing core is ultimately of human-manufacture, but its original design was borrowed entirely from the remnants of a... of a Klaxosaurian core. The cores are quite complex- _almost artificiality so._ Using one as the baseline processing unit was the only solution I found that would allow the pilot to interface with the unit as if they _were_ one unified nervous system. " He braced for Samael to turn violent, for he was well-aware of the man's new allegiance, but all the old warrior did was laugh aloud.

"Werner! You dastardly devil! You _stole_ the entire design from your enemy? What marvelous ingenuity! I'm quite proud of you, old friend." He clapped his claws together several times in a show of genuine praise. "Tell me: do your associates know of this theft?"

" _That_ , is another question, Samael."

"And yet, you've curiously managed to elude my original: why children?"

 _Damn him. Fine, he deserves to know the truth. It's what little he will ever know anyways._ "Due to the Klaxosaurian nature of the original central processing core, a few 'features' managed to cross over with the... _re_ _design_ of the human-variant. One of these features limited the use of the technology to only those that shared certain genetic markers: markers which were not found in any living human, but could be easily synthesized manually within the prepubescent body of any human."

"You... you altered them, didn't you? Those children are inhuman hybrids. Well, that certainly explains the horns..."

 _Horns? So, he really has met Zero Tsu face-to-face..._ "Yes, they have been altered, but they're still very much human. We don't _replace_ anything within their original genetic structure. Rather, we _augment_ it, adding in the markers as needed. Unfortunately, the markers are also incompatible with the immortality elixir, and if you were to mix the two, well... let's just say _that_ did not go well for anyone, especially the janitorial staff."

"Intriguing. And this tampering results in horns as well?"

"No. Absolutely not. Code 002 is a special case. She is the single parasite that was born a true hybrid."

"She _is_ of Klaxian blood, is she not?"

Werner froze as he realized _his_ slip. If he said nothing, he confirmed it. If he were to verbally deny it, Samael would see through the lie in an instant and he would lose what little trust he had built between them. There was no other option now but to commit to his chosen path, and trust that somehow Samael wouldn't interfere too heavily.

"Yes. She is. Now, I've answered plenty of _your_ questions in a row. It's _my_ turn." He took a deep breath. All that he had said had been working up to the question he asked now. "Who is _she?_ "

Samael didn't immediately reply. He didn't do much of anything aside from close his eyes for a long, silent moment. The doctor watched his face twitch in silence. When he finally opened his eyes once more, he answered the doctor's burning question. "Truth be told, I haven't a clue who she really is. I know nothing of her home, family, nor even her true name. I call her Lilith, and that is all I know her by. She allows this because she needs me in the same fashion as a soldier needs his weapon. I do not know what she is ultimately after, but she says it will be for the betterment of all inhabitants of this world."

"Where exactly is she?"

"She isn't here at the moment, but usually she is a voice within my head."

 _Okay... that is certainly strange. Lucid he may be, but he is most definitely insane._

"Have you actually _seen_ her?" The doctor inquired cautiously.

"Of course. She is rather difficult to miss. You saw her yourself."

"I... did?"

Samael nodded. "The Klaxosaur I arrived within and that now rests within the hanger- _that_ is her."

 _Oh, lord... he is insane. He has somehow created a personality for that... creature in custody._ That was his first thought, but then the doctor remembered that he was a scientist first, and therefore he could not simply rule anything out without first having sufficient evidence. _Oh my, what if there actually **is** an intelligence within the Praetorian?_ _An_ _ **alien**_ _intelligence as well._ The more he thought of it, the more sense it made. There was actually more evidence to support it than there was to deny it: the weapon the Praetorian/Samael had possessed, the active countermeasures he had run into during his initial studies, and even the mysteriously suspicious absence of footage from the S.T.A.R.R.S mission logs as they had delved into the Earth's crust in pursuit of Strelizia's captor. All of it suggested that Samael could very well be telling the truth- a truth, which someone very powerful had gone through a lot to keep hidden from him.

 _And how could he possibly know that the Praetorian_ _is still_ _being held in the hanger? Lucky guess, or... is he actually being fed information?_

So, with all of his information pointing towards the conclusion that 'Lilith' was indeed a real entity, and quite possibly a Klaxosaur as well, he continued along as if _she_ were an accepted theory.

"You mentioned before that she requires Code 002. What for?"

"She has not shared such information with me. I'm not entirely sure _she_ knows either."

"So, you haven't a clue as to _why_ you need a child, but you're willing to kill anyone that gets in your way purely because this 'Lilith' voice- which may belong to an ancient, anti-human monstrosity- simply speaks to you and tells you to do so, correct?"

Without missing a beat. "That's correct."

"You're absolutely insane."

Samael smiled at his pronouncement- no, he had a doctorate, and it was more like a diagnosis at this point; though he was certainly no psychologist. "Insanity takes many forms, Werner. Perhaps, you should rethink your army of child soldiers before condemning me for following a disembodied voice in my head."

 _Okay. He certainly has me there. If this were a hundred years ago, perhaps I would be just as disturbed by the use of children as well, but... I'm already damned as it is. I've simply seen too much... done too much._ "Fair enough, I suppose. Why exactly _are_ you helping her, then?"

"I made a promise." He said as if it were the simplest thing in the world, but his response sent Dr. Franxx into internal panic mode.

 _Damnit! Damnit!_ _ **Damnit!**_ Once Samael made a promise, it was virtually impossible to make him break it. He adhered to them with a fanaticism greater than any religious follower. _And now he is sworn to what is at best a voice in his head and at worst a spiteful entity that directly opposes mankind. Wonderful…_ _I should have put the bastard out of his misery when I had the chance._ As he desperately sought a way to handle this new development, his guest continued with their game, oblivious to his growing panic.

"So, where is Code 002?"

 _Should I actually tell him? What will he do with the information? What will he do if I_ _ **don't**_ _tell him?_ With great hesitation, Dr. Franxx imparted the information Samael had so desperately worked to obtain. "She is here, upon this very plantation. Several dozen floors above us, upon the surface of the plantation rests a dome of antiquated purpose. Within that dome is a house, and upon the highest floor is her room. There you will find Zero Tsu- safe, and sound. There, is that what you wanted?"

"My dear Werner, that is _all_ ever I wanted." His face split with that awful grin, maddening in the sheer amount of teeth his post-human face was able to display. "Now, I believe that concludes our little 'game', wouldn't you agree?"

"That's it? You only wished to know her location? Why?"

"The game is over, Werner. I'm no longer beholden to your inquiries." He sat onto the slab and leaned back, his bald head resting against the wall.

"I did not agree to that. We have much more to discuss." The doctor protested this sudden change of attitude. He had been so close to uncovering so many secrets!

 _Who actually are these Klaxians? Their name suggests they're related to the Klaxosaurs, but is that the whole truth? If I could actually_ _ **speak**_ _to this Lilith..._

"You didn't have to agree with it, Werner. You allowed me to set the parameters of our arrangement. Not my fault if you never noticed them." Samael shrugged and Dr. Franxx scowled at his sudden unwillingness to cooperate. Until Dr. Franxx could produce solid evidence of another species possessing intelligence, it was little more than a simple theory.

 _Like hell he is going to avoid me now. The discovery of another intelligent species is the ultimate catalyst for all of mankind! I won't let one man- even one so stubborn and terrifying as Samael- get in the way of confirming such a discovery._

Dr. Franxx would not be dismissed so easily. He had come to Samael for information, and he would obtain it no matter the level of cooperation. "Fine then. Be that way. Be the stubborn, sulking bastard you've always been. All that I ask is that you allow me to perform some 'tests' upon your body. They won't be too serious, just some routine things that will satisfy my scientific curiosity."

Samael slowly turned his head back towards Dr. Franxx. "You do realize that I directly oppose the human species as a whole right now, don't you? Why would I allow you to examine me and possibly uncover a weakness or fault?"

"Because, I'm betting that you are wondering as to what extent you have changed. Do you not wonder how much of you remains human? I can tell you for sure. In fact, anything I discover about your body, I will immediately share with you." He offered Samael a deal he knew would be carefully considered, but would also be too good to resist.

"And how can I trust that you will do so?" _A fair enough point._

"Trust to our... _friendship_ , Samael. Trust that I won't betray you as you have betrayed our species."

Samael looked away, his face twitching; though whether it was in rage or simple nerve damage, Dr. Franxx could not tell. "It was _they_ that betrayed me..."

"I know, Samael." He spoke kindly and in a reassuring manner- like a _true_ friend might have done. "Our kind did not treat you well. You need not share with me the horrors of your life. I know too many of them already. But, _I_ have never betrayed you, Samael. Always have I been truthful to you. Even when you volunteered to be placed within a Klaxosaur, who was it that thanked you endlessly for your bold actions even as he warned you of the risks?"

"It was you..." He whispered as he turned back to affix him with that terrible gaze.

"That's right, Samael. It was _me_. You can trust me: you know this! I am your friend, now and forever..."

His nostrils flared as he snorted loudly. "Do you swear to that? Do you swear that you will be truthful to me? Do you swear that you will use none of what you learn to oppose me or my mission?"

"I swear it. I will only use what I learn to better my own understanding of the universe. You have my word."

"Then we... have a deal. Fetch whatever instruments you require. I am eager to learn about... _me._ "

The doctor offered him the kindest smile he could. "Of course, my old friend. I will return shortly, and then we can begin in earnest. I promise you that this will benefit us both greatly." Without another word he turned to leave, stepping free from the observation cell control room. The door hissed closed behind him and he fell against it, weak from his conversation. It hadn't been physically taxing, even for one of his immense age, but it had required great mental fortitude to lie to Samael and to keep his face from showing it. But, it had all been worth it, for he now had many questions. Questions, which he word work diligently to find answers to.

 _Klaxians? Lilith? Are they truly of the same intelligent species? Does this mean Klaxosaurs **aren't** renegade bio-machines controlled by corrupted AI from a long-forgotten species? Are they actually just serving their original functions? Or, are there greater agendas at work here? But, whose agenda is it? Klaxians? Or, others..._

Dr. Franxx had much to trouble himself- more than he had ever dreamed of- but there was a silver lining. After all, the solution to his problems sat just within the cell, biding its time for the inevitable attempt to break free. Even the doctor understood that Samael's time in the plantation was temporary, but that wouldn't stop him from learning everything he could. And maybe, just maybe, he could even gather enough information to put his own plan into motion, before things spiraled out of control and the world collapsed. Maybe, he could even get Samael to help him. But, he doubted it.

Samael wasn't designed with sympathy in mind.


End file.
